Collection of ENEA technology and expertise
CEF1-2 Water Loops
Application sectors
Problem to solve
Thermo-hydraulic qualification of large components operating with water as process fluid at high temperature (up to 140 °C), under pressure (up to 20 bar) and high flow rates (up to 70 kg/s with pumps in series and up to 140 kg/s with pumps in parallel but with halved head).
Description
The two CEF1-2 water circuits, built in the 1960s/1970s by the company “SOGREAH” of Grenoble (France) to conduct experimental campaigns necessary for the development of the Fast Reactor Fuel Element, have been used from the 1990s to today for the thermo-hydraulic and hydraulic characterization of mock-ups, even “full scale”, of the First Wall and Divertor of the ITER experimental fusion reactor, and recently used for the experimental characterization of the components of the Divertor of the DEMO fusion reactor. The two circuits are constitutively and functionally the same, thus making it possible to perform the same series of experiments indifferently on one of the two or simultaneously on both.
Innovative aspects and advantages
- The possibility of carrying out the same series of experiences indifferently on one of the two circuits or simultaneously on both with high water flow rates.
Admissible applications
- Circuits suitable for carrying out tests requiring high water flow rates as process fluid
- Circuits suitable for tests of interest for different energy generation systems (mainly nuclear fusion and fission) for the thermo-hydraulic and hydraulic characterization of large components operating with demineralized water in forced circulation
- Circuits suitable for the production of experimental data for the validation of numerical codes
- Circuits suitable for the qualification of large components of interest for nuclear fusion reactors
- Circuits suitable for the study of phenomena such as cavitation (using appropriate CASBA instrumentation)
Research group involved
Revision date
04-06-2025
Didn't find what you were looking for or would like more information about our partnerships and services?
