Safety Design Implementation for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Abstract

A high level of safety is being integrated into the ITER design. This paper describes some of the steps being followed in the facility, system and component design to ensure safety. The safety approach developed for ITER takes into account the moderate hazard associated with ITER, its role as an experimental facility, and draws on experience in nuclear and non-nuclear industries. A key element is a graded approach to match requirements to hazards being controlled. This is reflected in, for example, dose limits that are lower for higher frequencies, classification of components in terms of their importance to safety in order to guide the setting of requirements, and structural design. The classification system that ITER is developing for safety-relevant components is described. The implementation of this classification into the design is still very much under development, but preliminary thoughts are outlined here. Processes are in place to determine safety functions needed to ensure public safety, to identify systems that fulfill these safety functions, to set system requirements to ensure these functions are implemented in the design, to design system components to meet requirements, and to identify design, manufacture and operations requirements needed. At this stage of the project, it is concluded that the design and operation could meet the safety-related requirements of any of the potential host countries with only minimal modifications to accommodate the characteristics of the specific site chosen.