Studies of radioactive material management in the frame of the iea cooperative program on the environmental, safety and economic aspects of fusion power

Abstract

Some results of the collaborative studies organized by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in the area of technological problems of the fusion radioactive materials management following the withdrawing of replaceable components from the fusion facilities and decommissioning of these facilities are addressed in this paper. Key issues include clearance conditions, hands-on and remote recycling procedures, radioactive fusion material hazard assessment, and detritiation of activated materials. To broaden the options for fusion development, researchers examined five potentially alternative high-Z materials: zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, and tantalum from four standpoints: neutron-induced activation, sputter erosion/redeposition, plasma transient response and recycling possibility.