Fusion radwaste management approaches in Japan

Research on JApanâ€s DEMOnstration fusion reactor (JA DEMO) has focused on the radwaste management of radioactivated in-vessel components (IVCs) generated during a periodic replacement and studies on the volume reduction of these radioactivated IVCs. It is considered important to establish a maintenance management scenario and a volume reduction method for the radioactivated IVCs from the viewpoint of improving the social acceptability of JA DEMO. It was found that even a blanket first wall, which is at the highest radioactivity level, can be disposed of in a concrete pit near the land surface. On the other hand, the maintenance management such as the storage and dismantling of the IVCs in a hot cell takes into account a periodic replacement cycle and the nuclear characteristics of the IVCs. Furthermore, in order to reduce the radioactivated IVCs, a strategy for reuse and recycling has been analyzed and the R&D items were defined for JA DEMO.