Design, development, manufacturing, and test activities of the RF power system (RFPS) for Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) were completed in Europe. Installation and commissioning activities were carried out at the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities (IFMIF/EVEDA) site in Rokkasho, Japan. Challenging IFMIF requirements led to a number of innovations during design and development. Commissioning required a major effort on calibration and fine setting and led to development of new functionalities. The RFPS was validated under full power and 125-mA deuteron beam loading conditions, in the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ), demonstrating good performance. This article is an overview about how technical challenges impacted the prototype RFPS design and its functional evolution during commissioning, cavity conditioning, and beam operation of the RFQ.

For the development of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) aiming at material tests for fusion power plants, the construction of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) has been conducted at Rokkasho, Japan under the Broader Approach Agreement. The commissioning of LIPAc has been progressing significantly. The world most powerful RFQ successfully accelerated proton beam of 58 mA, and an important project milestone of the acceleration of deuteron beam to 5 MeV with the beam current of 125 mA in pulse mode was successfully achieved. The result proves the validity of the present RFQ design. The adjustment and tuning of the RF power system and the injector for enabling an operation at maximum performances played an important role in achieving this result. For the next step, the preparation of the high duty cycle operation of RFQ is underway. The installation of the HEBT (High Energy Beam Transport line) and the beam dump accepting 1 MW, CW beam, has been completed and a new beam transport line is under manufacturing. Also the assembly of the Superconducting RF (SRF) linac to accelerate the beam up to 9 MeV started in a clean room in Rokkasho.

During the EVEDA (engineering validation and engineering design activities) phase of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) project, a 125 mA/9 MeV linear prototype accelerator (LIPAc) has to be built, tested and operated in Rokkasho-mura (Japan). Involved in this project for several years, CEA-Saclay designed the injector of this accelerator which is composed of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source, delivering a 140 mA deuteron beam at 100 keV, and a low energy beam transport (LEBT) line to match the beam for the injection into the radio-frequency quadrupole. In this paper, the components of the LIPAc injector are described. The commissioning of the ion source and LEBT with beam started in November 2014. The different phases of the commissioning are explained and some noticeable experimental results obtained with a D+ beam at 100 keV are presented.

The construction of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) is in progress at Rokkasho, Japan. The important milestone of the project is to commission the necessary components, namely RFQ, MEBT and diagnostics, to accelerate the proton beam up to 2.5 MeV or the deuteron beam up to 5.0 MeV in pulsed mode with a low duty cycle of 0.1%. The detailed radiation safety analysis has been conducted for the beam commissioning with the consideration of the specific radiation source conditions and the building configuration. As a result, it turned out that the dose rate expected outside the accelerator vault during deuteron beam operation at 5 MeV is mostly dominated by the neutron streaming effect through three major penetration sectors, i.e. HVAC ducts, water pipe holes and underground pits, while it is negligibly small during the proton beam operation at 2.5 MeV. It was confirmed that the dose rate expected does not exceed the legal limit for the controlled area boundary and no serious radiological issues exist in the beam commissioning planned.

The construction of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) is in progress in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the low energy section of an IFMIF deuteron accelerator up to 9 MeV with a beam current of 125 mA in CW. The next milestone of the project is the so-called Phase-B beam commissioning, and one of the missions is to demonstrate the acceleration of the proton beam up to 2.5 MeV or the deuteron beam up to 5.0 MeV in pulsed mode with a low duty cycle of 0.1% through RFQ. Most of the components and subsystems necessary for Phase-B were delivered by 2016 under the responsibility of Fusion for Energy (F4E) as in-kind contributions of several European institutes, namely CEA (France), CIEMAT (Spain), INFN (Italy), and SCK-CEN (Belgium), and QST is in charge of the installation of the delivered equipment. The installation and check-out of the RFQ subsystem and the RF power system was completed by July 2017, and the RF conditioning of the RFQ cavity started. Also, the installation and the check-out of the important sub-systems for Phase-B, namely MEBT and beam diagnostics, have been completed.

The LIPAc accelerator will be a linear CW deuteron accelerator capable of delivering a 9 MeV, 125 mA beam which aims to validate the technology that will be used in the future high power accelerator-driven neutron source, IFMIF. In summer 2017 a campaign of measurements was done during the injector commissioning, in which a Fluorescence Profile Monitor based on an Intensified CID camera (ICID) was used to measure the beam transverse profile at the extraction of the ion source. In this contribution we review the design of the ICID, its performance and discuss the measurements carried out. The performance of ICID monitors for its use in future accelerators will be assessed.

The discovery of void swelling in neutron-irradiated stainless steels by Cawthorne and Fulton in 1966 showed that radiation effects would seriously affect the lifetime of fission reactors. A few years later, in the early 1970s, serious damage levels were observed in core components of the first commercial fission reactors that had been in operation for one decade. Driven by the harder neutron spectrum, the fusion community was impelled to explore the technical possibilities to make available a fusion relevant neutron source to anticipate the difficulties faced by the fission reactors community and ensure the long-term operation of a fusion reactor. In 1976, the conclusions of the first review published announced the assets and drawbacks of the different possibilities, which today despite the four decades passed and the sound technological advancements, continue being basically the same. A suitable neutron spectrum can be theoretically obtained both from plasma-based or accelerators based facilities with either gas, liquid or solids targets. Needed facilities performances, available irradiation volumes that the concept allow and cost are at stake. In the past, the cost of the most promising facility based on stripping the neutron from a deuteron on a lithium target was misleadingly peered with that of a fusion reactor. A tokamak with sufficient volume to irradiate equipment under fusion relevant conditions will be likely available in the future once commercial fusion reactors have become a reality; unfortunately, this concept does not match the needs timely, and is unrealistic w.r.t. its costs nowadays with worldwide efforts prioritizing ITER. In this article, we will focus on the technical aspects and assess the present maturity of different existing possibilities based on nowadays technologies to count with neutrons at a suitable flux and spectrum to characterize and qualify fusion materials to be timely ready with our world fusion roadmaps.

The Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) linac and 1.6 MW RF power system of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) facility in the International Fusion Energy Research Center (IFERC) in Rokkasho (Japan) has been installed and conditioned. During the assembly and tuning process, the RFQ cavity was protected with a temporary tent from the potential deterioration of performance caused by dust. The vacuum in the cavity was improved through the 100 °C baking process of the cavity. The high power test of the 175 MHz RF systems up to 200 kW in CW for each of the eight RF chains was performed for checking its stable output reproducibility in Japan, before connecting 9–3/16 inch coaxial transmission lines from the RF chains to the RF input couplers of the cavity. It was confirmed that the eight RF chains provided the balanced RF power to the single RFQ cavity in-phase using a feedback loop and a synchronization system. The peak power in the cavity achieved 150 kW in the pulsed mode, which corresponds approximately to the required electric field to accelerate proton beam. Such RF conditioning process is ongoing to achieve 600 kW approximately required for deuteron beam commissioning planned in 2018.

Significant progress was obtained on the installation and commissioning of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc). On the injector experiment, the emittance of 0.2 πmm·mrad has been demonstrated, which is well smaller than that of required value (0.3 πmm·mrad). Eight sets of RF modules (175 MHz, 200 kW for each) were connected to the RFQ with 8 coaxial waveguides, and RF conditioning has been started. With a simultaneous power injection from 8 RF modules into the RFQ and careful conditioning, a required RF filed for the 5 MeV D+ beam acceleration was obtained at short pulse. The pulse extension is underway toward the CW operation. The first H+ beam acceleration will be started in June 2018. After the H+ beam commissioning, D+ beam acceleration will be implemented aiming at 5 MeV 125 mA, 0.1% duty. In parallel, the preparation of SRF (superconducting Radio-Frequency linac), which accelerates the D+ beam up to 9 MeV, has proceeded.

The goal of LIPAc (Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator) is to achieve a 125 mA, 9 MeV, CW (continuous wave, i.e. 100% duty cycle) deuteron beam with an average beam power of 1.125 MW. In the beam current measurement, it is considered that calorimetric measurement is advantageous for high current and CW operations since it is not subject to secondary electrons, etc. In calorimetric measurements, it is necessary to measure the temperature rise of the cooling water as accurately as possible. We applied this method to LIPAc proton beams at the Beam Stop unit. In order to check the reliability, we inserted a heater in the cooling loop as a heat source and obtained correlation between the applied and measured power, which was found to be 1.0. Moreover, using this heater, accuracy of this measurement with respect to the flow rate of the cooling water was investigated. Due to heat transfer and the fluctuations of water temperature, etc., there is a range of flow rates in which the measurement error can be minitnized with our calorimetric measurement system.

The detailed shielding analysis has been performed in order to find a configuration of the radiation shielding in the accelerator building necessary for the operation of the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc), which is under construction in Rokkasho, Japan, at the full power of 1.125 MW to satisfy the radiation dose limit prescribed by Japanese regulations. The final design of the beam dump constructed by CIEMAT, Spain was fully taken into consideration. The impact of all the features potentially causing neutron streaming were investigated and the optimization of local additional shieldings were conducted. As the result, the most important one was found to be the air ventilation duct shield, which completely covers the ducts and creates an additional labyrinth. By considering the additional shielding configuration determined in the present study, the legal criteria at the controlled area boundary can be completely satisfied.

The LIPAC accelerator will be a 9 MeV, 125 mA cw deuteron accelerator which will verify the validity of the design of the future IFMIF accelerator. A Medium Energy Beam Transport line (MEBT) is necessary to handle the high current beam from th e RFQ to the Superconducting RF accelerating cavities (SRF) whereas a High Energy Beam Transport line (HEBT) is used to match the beam from the SRF to the beam dump. The high space charge and beam power determine the beam dynamics in both transport lines. As a consequence, magnets with strong fields in a reduced space are required. Along the transport beamlines, there are different types of quadrupoles with steerers and a dipole. Special care is devoted to maximize the integrated fields in the available s pace. Both 2-D and 3-D magnetic calculations are used to optimize coil configurations. Magnetic performance and cost, both of magnet and power supply, have been taken into account for final choice. In this paper, the design of the resistive quadrupoles of the MEBT and HEBT of the LIPAC accelerator is presented.

The IFMIF accelerator facility consists of 2 identical linacs, each accelerating a 125 mA CW deuteron beam up to the energy of 40 MeV. In order to reach these unprecedented performances, the Linear IFMIF Prototype Accelerator (LIPAc) is under installation and commissioning at the International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) in Rokkasho, Japan, in the framework of the IFMIF/EVEDA project, which is part of the Broader Approach (BA) agreement between Japan and EU. The accelerator is designed to validate components up to 125 mA CW deuteron beam at 9 MeV. The accelerator components of LIPAc have been designed and manufactured mainly by European Institutes. The injector and superconducting linac, RFQ, MEBT, Diagnostics Plate, HEBT and beam dump have been developed respectively by CEA-Saclay, INFN-Legnaro and CIEMAT-Madrid and were delivered to Rokkasho between 2013 and 2016. The commissioning of the injector with beam started in November 2014. This paper dealt with the experimental data obtained with the beam diagnostics of the injector. The electrical measurements of the beam intensity on the beam stopper were compared with calorimetric measurements. The beam profiles measured with a CCD camera and a custom image-intensified CID camera are also addressed. The analysis of beam emittance and ion species fractions from data obtained with an Allison scanner is described and the results of species fraction measurements are compared with those obtained by using a deported spectrometer. Finally, the analysis of beam space potential from data obtained with a 4-Grid analyser is presented.

The corrosion induced by alkali metals in steels has been the subject of long decades of intense studies under both nuclear fission and fusion research programs. Li or its eutectic Pb-17Li is the liquid metal coolant choice for fusion blankets due to the tritium breeder capability of Li. Non-metal impurities enhance corrosion, but only N becomes potentially a problem given its high solubility in liquid Li and the depletion of Cr through ternary nitrides Li-Cr-N. The low solubility of C and O allow its cold trapping to values <10wppm, however N can only be hot trapped demanding temperatures typically of 873K. The inherent difficulties of experimentation on physicochemical kinetics related with alkali metals lead to a confusing divergence of results available in the literature; however, the understanding of the corrosion phenomena of RAFM steels exposed to flowing Li up to 873K is mature. Next decade, 14MeV neutrons will be available for fusion materials testing through Li(d,n) nuclear reactions. In such a facility, a concave RAFM steel backplate will be channelling 523K flowing Li in the region where the 40MeV deuteron beam will be impacting. If RAFM steels are considered, two main concurrent mechanisms will take place: a) mass transport of alloying elementsalong the loop and b) depletion of Cr through formation of Li9CrN5. Fortunately, the mass transport phenomena of Cr within the ΔT=350K in the loop is limited due to the poor solubility of Cr in liquid Li (0.21wppm at 873K). In turn, at 523K Li the activity of N to form the ternary compound is negligible. However, the high solubility of Ni in Li (2144wppm at 873K), suggests the presence of mass transport phenomena of Ni from the stainless steel piping; unfortunately, the physicochemical kinetics are not fully understood. Lifus 6, in operation in Brasimone (ENEA) since the end 2015, will close in a definitive manner remaining open questions.

As part of the engineering validation and engineering design activities (EVEDA) phase for the international fusion materials irradiation facility IFMIF, major elements of a lithium target facility and the test facility were designed, prototyped and validated. For the lithium target facility, the EVEDA lithium test loop was built at JAEA and used to test the stability (waves and long term) of the lithium flow in the target, work out the startup procedures, and test lithium purification and analysis. It was confirmed by experiments in the Lifus 6 plant at ENEA that lithium corrosion on ferritic martensitic steels is acceptably low. Furthermore, complex remote handling procedures for the remote maintenance of the target in the test cell environment were successfully practiced. For the test facility, two variants of a high flux test module were prototyped and tested in helium loops, demonstrating their good capabilities of maintaining the material specimens at the desired temperature with a low temperature spread. Irradiation tests were performed for heated specimen capsules and irradiation instrumentation in the BR2 reactor at SCK-CEN. The small specimen test technique, essential for obtaining material test results with limited irradiation volume, was advanced by evaluating specimen shape and test technique influences.

A liquid Li jet flowing at 15 m/s under a high vacuum of 10−3 Pa is intended to serve as a beam target (Li target) in the planned International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF). The engineering validation and engineering design activities (EVEDA) for the IFMIF are being implemented under the broader approach (BA) agreement. As a major activity of the Li target facility, the EVEDA Li test loop (ELTL) was constructed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. A stable Li target under the IFMIF conditions (Li temperature: 523.15 K, velocity: 15 m/s, and vacuum pressure: 10−3 Pa) was demonstrated using ELTL. This study focuses on a cavitationlike acoustic noise detected in a downstream conduit where the Li target flowed under vacuum conditions. This noise was investigated using acoustic-emission (AE) sensors installed at eight locations via acoustic wave guides. The sound intensity of the acoustic noise was examined against the cavitation number of the Li target. In addition, two types of frequency analysis, namely, fast Fourier transform (FFT) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT), were performed to characterize the acoustic noise. Owing to the acoustic noise's intermittency, high frequency, and the dependence on cavitation number, we conclude that this acoustic noise is generated when cavitation bubbles collapse and/or the structural material of the pipe is cracked because of the collapse of cavitation bubbles (cavitation pitting). The location of the cavitation was fundamental for presuming the mechanism. In this study, the propagation of acoustic waves among AE sensors placed at three locations was used to localize the cavitation and a method to determine the location of cavitation was formulated. As a result, we found that cavitation occurred only in a narrow area where the Li target impinged on the downstream conduit; therefore, we concluded that this cavitation was induced by the impingement. The design of the downstream conduit of the IFMIF Li target facility should be tackled in future based on information obtained in this study.

The IFMIF-EVEDA RFQ is composed of 18 modules for a total length of 9.8 m and is designed to accelerate the 125 mA D⁺ beam up to 5 MeV at the frequency of 175 MHz. The RFQ is subdivided into three Super-Modules of six modules each. The Super-Modules were shipped to Rokkasho (Japan) at the beginning of 2016, pre-assembled 3 m far from the final location and tuned to reach target field flatness requirements. Just after conclusion of injector commissioning, the tuned RFQ was disassembled, moved and reassembled in the final location. After confirmation that field flatness was not affected by this movement, high power couplers were installed and tuned and all the structure was baked. Assembling, tuning and coupling results will be presented.

To show the Hertz-Knudsen equation is applicable to the prediction of the evaporation rates of Li and volatile impurities from the Li target surface at the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), we analytically and experimentally studied these rates for a high-speed Li jet via engineering-scale tests performed under IFMIF conditions (vacuum pressure: 10(-3) Pa, Li temperature: 250 degrees C, jet speed: 7-15 m/s). The rates of evaporation and deposition were analytically predicted using the Hertz-Knudsen equation and the cosine law with known Li impurity concentrations (36 wppm for Na and 10 wppm or less for K). As pointed out in earlier works, Na and K are volatile impurities in Li. The evaporation rates of Na and K from liquid Li at a temperature of 250 degrees C are non-negligible, even if their concentrations in Li are as small as tens of wppm. To measure the deposition rate of evaporants from the Li jet, we used a quartz crystal microbalance and a neutralization titration method. The measured deposition rate was highly consistent with the deposition rate estimated analytically for weak evaporation. Also, the measured deposition rate was independent of the flow speed in the range of 7-15 m/s. We concluded that combining the Hertz-Knudsen equation and the cosine law is a reliable method for predicting the evaporation and deposition rates of Li and volatile impurities from a Li jet surface at the IFMIF.