IFMIF Preliminary Safety Analysis Report

none7The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) has an essential role to play in the development of fusion power. By characterising the behaviour of candidate power plant materials in relevant neutron irradiation conditions, it will enable the development and selection of materials for DEMO and commercial fusion power stations. On a “fast track” path to fusion, this development is urgent, and delays must be avoided. Thus, when the regulatory approval of IFMIF construction is to be obtained, a rapid positive appraisal of the safety and environmental issues will be essential. With this background, a preliminary compilation has been made of what is currently known about the safety of IFMIF: the potential hazards present, the means to eliminate or mitigate them, and the conceivable consequences for personnel and the public. This is based on safety studies so far performed in the project, which have addressed the key issues but which are not yet fully comprehensive. It is based on a design that is still evolving and for which much detail is yet to be fixed. And it is based on a generic approach to safety requirements, as the regulatory framework in which IFMIF construction will be licensed cannot be anticipated until a site, or at least a host country, is chosen. For these reasons the safety analysis presented here is preliminary and incomplete. Nevertheless it is a starting point from which a full safety analysis can be built, by augmenting it with the outcomes of future studies, by replacing assumptions with design detail as it becomes available, and eventually by providing the information to satisfy the requirements of the regulatory body that will authorise IFMIF construction and operation.mixedN.P. Taylor; B. Brañas; G. Cambi; E. Eriksson; A. Natalizio; T. Pinna; L. Rodríguez-RodrigoN.P. Taylor; B. Brañas; G. Cambi; E. Eriksson; A. Natalizio; T. Pinna; L. Rodríguez-Rodrig