With the aim of participating in the European advance of technologies for the demonstration of Thermonuclear Fusion, in 2009 the construction of the unique TechnoFusión facility in the Community of Madrid was planned. The Centre aimed to address development aspects of technologies and facilities, responding to critical science and technology problems of magnetic and inertial confinement nuclear fusion. To date, the TechnoFusión Consortium of research groups and laboratories of the Community of Madrid has advanced together, finding solutions for outstanding infrastructures, training scientists and technical staff in the use of high technology tools, and creating a network of contacts and collaborations. At this stage, experiments and facilities have been identified as being realistically implemented in the short/medium term. To this end, the new call for proposals 20192022 will be attended, requesting continuity on the TechnoFusión Programme. Its development will be structured around 8 major technological and scientific objectives focused on providing support for the construction of mediumsized, relevant and quality facilities in the Community of Madrid, and on finding solutions to new problems of high scientific content and interest in the scientific fusion community. With regard to the problems of magnetic and inertial fusion, the following lines of action combine the development of cuttingedge technologies, the construction of associated facilities, the progress in simulation and the advanced application of computational neutronics.
i) Construction of two flowing PbLi loops:
an experimental circuit for testing protection against corrosion and tritium permeation barriers in steels, and another circuit for the validation of prototypes for dynamic tritium extraction systems; facilities that will allow the development of technologies associated with liquid breeding concepts.
ii) Technological support
for the forthcoming construction of a double line accelerator facility for material irradiation, one of the priorities of the ICTS LNF strategic plan. By studying the damage and swelling of materials produced at irradiation dose rates equivalent to those expected at ITER/DEMO, this facility aims updating the catalogue of materials suitable for fusion.
iii) Basic knowledge
of the damage processes generated in materials by high electronic excitation. Combining simultaneous or sequential material irradiation experiments with lasers and heavy ions, and multiscale computations, the behaviour of materials under conditions of strong irradiation and concentrated particle flow in short times will be studied.
iv) Technological development of DONES
a flagship fusion neutrons beam installation, which is well positioned to be located in Spain. The definition of specific procedures for remote handling in installations with radiation, the development of devices to increase safety towards the generation of radioactive elements, the efficient use of irradiation area and the development of computational neutronics as a tool for the design of components and systems will be addressed.
v) Monitoring of specific technologies
in the development of large facilities such as ITER or DEMO, focused on maintaining the innovative contribution of TechnoFusion: production processes and treatment of advanced materials for environments with high radiation, neutron damage and mechanical stress; and technologies associated with the development of computational neutronics to apply in the design and validation of components and systems for the execution of operations.
Concluding
This proposal to the TechnoFusion Programme is believed to contribute to the strategic objectives of the RIS3 of the Community of Madrid, R+D+i, objectives based on the development of quality technological capabilities, the training and attraction of researchers of excellence, and the transfer of technology to the business sector”