The KALPUREX-process - A new vacuum pumping process for exhaust gases in fusion power plants

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is developing a continuously working and non-cryogenic pumping solution for torus exhaust pumping of a demonstration power plant (DEMO) including Direct Internal Recycling (DIR). This full pumping system consists of three pumps, namely a metal foil pump for gas separation, a linear diffusion pump as primary pump and a liquid ring pump as backing pump. The latter two pumps apply mercury as working fluid due to its perfect tritium compatibility. This asks for a baffle system on both sides of the pumping train to control working fluid vapour and to avoid any mercury propagation in the machine. In this paper, the arrangement of all torus pumps required for a power plant reactor as well as the corresponding infrastructure and its effect on the DEMO machine design is presented and discussed. The full pumping process is called 'Karlsruhe liquid metal based pumping process for fusion reactor exhaust gases' (KALPUREX process, patent pending). (C) 2014 Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.