The IFMIF-DONES Project: Design Status and Main Achievements Within the EUROfusion FP8 Work Programme

Abstract

International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility-DEMO-Oriented NEutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) is a high-intensity

neutron irradiation facility for qualification of fusion reactor materials, which is being designed as part of the European

roadmap to fusion-generated electricity. Its main purpose is to study the behavior of materials properties under irradiation

in a neutron flux able to simulate the same effects in terms of relevant nuclear responses as those expected in the first wall

of the DEMO reactor which is envisaged to follow ITER. It is thus a key facility to support the design, licensing and safe

operation of DEMO as well as of the fusion power plants that will be developed afterwards. The start of its construction is

foreseen in the next few years. In this contribution, an overview of the IFMIF-DONES neutron source is presented together

with a snapshot of the current engineering design status and of the relevant key results achieved within the EUROfusion

Work Package Early Neutron Source (WPENS) as part of the 2014–2020 EURATOM Research and Training Programme,

complementary to the EU Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (FP8). Moreover, some information on the future

developments of the project are given