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Now, what are the safety objectives and the
related safety functions in the ITER project?
What are the priorities within the ITER project?
Of course, we'll have to deliver excellent quality in our daily work.
But this will have to be delivered while
keeping the costs within the planned budget!
And let's not forget, the planned milestones must
be realized according to the agreed schedule.
As the ITER project involves the coordinated
work of so many different technical disciplines,
implemented through various layers of various companies,
good teamwork is indispensable for the success of the project.
But, most important of all, accomplishing
nuclear safety is the top priority!
We're not only talking of safe work during your
daily actions, but also about nuclear safety.
As mentioned earlier, and documented in ITER policy,
although ITER will perform its nuclear operation
only later, you are already responsible
for realizing nuclear safety through your present
activities in construction, manufacturing or assembly.
But what are the principal nuclear
hazards during ITER nuclear operation?
During its nuclear operation, ITER will
contain a quantity of radioactive material,
material that will emit ionising radiation.
First, there will be material that
will be activated through the neutrons
that are produced in the nuclear fusion reaction.
And second, the fuel for the process, tritium.
Tritium will be supplied, stored and processed in the tritium plant.
During its decay, tritium emits ionising radiation,
its half-life being about 12 years, so it's rather short-lived.
The main hazard of tritium is inhaling it,
ingesting it or getting it on your skin,
so that your body will be directly exposed to its radiation.
As well as the inventory of radioactive material,
another nuclear hazard at ITER is direct radiation exposure.
Which comes from the fusion process in the plasma.
Finally, material activated by neutrons
from the nuclear fusion reaction will produce ionising radiation.
These principal nuclear hazards present
during and after ITER nuclear operation
require that safety functions must be implemented in ITER.
First, the radioactive material must be confined
so that it is kept within a controlled area.
Second, the exposure of staff, people and the environment
to ionizing radiation must be limited.
The confinement will be implemented through process barriers,
such as the vacuum vessel and the various
windows in the ports of the vessel.
Clearly, the building and its various
sub-chambers provide an effective barrier
which will hinder the spread of radioactive material.
Now, as for limiting the exposure, this is
mainly realized by the biological shield,
a thick concrete structure that will surround the vacuum chamber.
Here it is shown on a drawing and during construction.
Lastly, limitation of exposure is
realized by controlling access to areas
where we expect an excess level of ionising radiation.
We expect this not only during operation,
but also during shutdown of ITER for maintenance activities.
Before we proceed, you may like to answer some short questions,
to check your understanding of what we have learnt.
Thank you for your attention.
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