G. Federici

Key ITER plasma edge and plasma–material interaction issues

Abstract Some of the remaining crucial plasma edge physics and plasma–material interaction issues of the ITER tokamak are discussed in this paper, using either modelling or projections of experimental results from existing tokamak operation or relevant laboratory simulations. The paper covers the following subject areas at issue in the design of the ITER device: (1) plasma thermal loads during Type I ELMs and disruptions, ensuing erosion effects and prospects for mitigating measures, (2) control of co-deposited tritium inventory when carbon is used even on small areas in the divertor near the strike points, (3) efficiency of edge and core fuelling for expected pedestal densities in ITER, and (4) erosion and impurity transport with a full tungsten divertor. Directions and priorities of future research are proposed to narrow remaining uncertainties in the above areas.

The ITER divertor concept

Abstract The ITER divertor must exhaust most of the alpha particle power and the He ash at acceptable erosion rates. The high recycling regime of the ITER-CDA for present parameters would yield high power loads and erosion rates on conventional targets. Improvement by radiation in the SOL at constant pressure is limited in principle. To permit a higher radiation fraction, the plasma pressure along the field must be reduced by more than a factor 10, reducing also the target ion flux. This pressure reduction can be obtained by strong plasma-neutral interaction below the X-point. Under these conditions Te in the divertor can be reduced to

Neutron irradiation effects on plasma facing materials

This paper reviews the effects of neutron irradiation on thermal and mechanical properties and bulk tritium retention of armour materials (beryllium, tungsten and carbon). For each material, the main properties affected by neutron irradiation are described and the specific tests of neutron irradiated armour materials under thermal shock and disruption conditions are summarized. Based on current knowledge, the expected thermal and structural performance of neutron irradiated armour materials in the ITER plasma facing components are analysed.

Hydrogen isotope retention in beryllium for tokamak plasma-facing applications

Beryllium has been used as a plasma-facing material to effect substantial improvements in plasma performance in the Joint European Torus (JET), and it is planned as a plasma-facing material for the first wall (FW) and other components of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The interaction of hydrogenic ions, and charge-exchange neutral atoms from plasmas, with beryllium has been studied in recent years with widely varying interpretations of results. In this paper we review experimental data regarding hydrogenic atom inventories in experiments pertinent to tokamak applications and show that with some very plausible assumptions, the experimental data appear to exhibit rather predictable trends. A phenomenon observed in high ion-flux experiments is the saturation of the beryllium surface such that inventories of implanted particles become insensitive to increased flux and to continued implantation fluence. Methods for modeling retention and release of implanted hydrogen in beryllium are reviewed and an adaptation is suggested for modeling the saturation effects. The TMAP4 code used with these modifications has succeeded in simulating experimental data taken under saturation conditions where codes without this feature have not. That implementation also works well under more routine conditions where the conventional recombination-limited release model is applicable. Calculations of tritium inventory and permeation in the ITER FW during the basic performance phase (BPP) using both the conventional recombination model and the saturation effects assumptions show a difference of several orders of magnitude in both inventory and permeation rate to the coolant.

Material/plasma surface interaction issues following neutron damage

Abstract The main results of the effect of neutron irradiation on beryllium, tungsten and carbon based materials are summarized in the paper in terms of changes of the material’s structure and physical and mechanical properties. As a consequence of the material property changes, some of the plasma-material interaction phenomena could change significantly. The effect on phenomena such as bulk tritium retention, behaviour during thermal transient events, and changes of the thermal conductivity are discussed. Based on the available data, the subsequent influence of the neutron irradiation on the performance of the plasma facing materials in ITER has been analysed. The performance of the plasma facing materials at higher neutron fluence (e.g. DEMO) is also discussed.

ELM energy and particle losses and their extrapolation to burning plasma experiments

Abstract Analysis of Type I ELMs from present experiments shows that ELM energy losses decrease with increasing pedestal plasma collisionality ( ν ∗ ped ) and/or increasing τ Front ∥ , where ( τ ∥ Front =2π Rq 95 / c s ,ped ) is the typical ion transport time from the pedestal to the divertor target. ν ∗ ped and τ Front ∥ are not the only parameters that affect the ELMs, also the edge magnetic shear influences the plasma volume affected by the ELMs. ELM particle losses are influenced by this ELM affected volume and are weakly dependent on other pedestal plasma parameters. ‘Minimum’ Type I ELMs, with energy losses acceptable for ITER, where there is no change in the plasma temperature profile during the ELM, are observed for some conditions in JET and DIII-D. The duration of the divertor ELM power pulse is well correlated with τ Front ∥ and not with the duration of the ELM-associated MHD activity. Similarly, the time scale of ELM particle fluxes is also determined by τ Front ∥ . The extrapolation of present experimental results to ITER is summarised.

Erosion of Plasma-Facing Components in ITER

Abstract Erosion of ITER plasma-facing components (PFCs) is analysed with a strike-point carbon divertor target and metallic walls (Be in the main chamber, and W divertor baffles), for a ‘semi-detached’ edge plasma regime, with Type I ELMs and off-normal events (e.g. disruptions). This paper builds on earlier studies [J. Nucl. Mater. 290–293 (2001) 260], refines the assessment of erosion during full DT operation with long cumulative burn time, and discusses erosion effects expected during early phases of operation with H and DD plasmas. The present analysis should be viewed as more reliable for indicating trends, rather than providing firm quantitative predictions. Outstanding issues are identified and recommendations are made for further urgent R&D.

RACLETTE: a model for evaluating the thermal response of plasma facing components to slow high power plasma transients. Part I: Theory and description of model capabilities

Abstract RACLETTE (Rate Analysis Code for pLasma Energy Transfer Transient Evaluation), a comprehensive but relatively simple and versatile model, was developed to help in the design analysis of plasma facing components (PFCs) under ‘slow’ high power transients, such as those associated with plasma vertical displacement events. The model includes all the key surface heat transfer processes such as evaporation, melting, and radiation, and their interaction with the PFC block thermal response and the coolant behaviour. This paper represents part I of two sister and complementary papers. It covers the model description, calibration and validation, and presents a number of parametric analyses shedding light on and identifying trends in the PFC armour block response to high plasma energy deposition transients. Parameters investigated include the plasma energy density and deposition time, the armour thickness and the presence of vapour shielding effects. Part II of the paper focuses on specific design analyses of ITER plasma facing components (divertor, limiter, primary first wall and baffle), including improvements in the thermal-hydraulic modeling required for better understanding the consequences of high energy deposition transients in particular for the ITER limiter case.

RACLETTE: a model for evaluating the thermal response of plasma facing components to slow high power plasma transients. Part II: Analysis of ITER plasma facing components

Abstract The transient thermal model RACLETTE (acronym of Rate Analysis Code for pLasma Energy Transfer Transient Evaluation) described in part I of this paper is applied here to analyse the heat transfer and erosion effects of various slow (100 ms-10 s) high power energy transients on the actively cooled plasma facing components (PFCs) of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). These have a strong bearing on the PFC design and need careful analysis. The relevant parameters affecting the heat transfer during the plasma excursions are established. The temperature variation with time and space is evaluated together with the extent of vaporisation and melting (the latter only for metals) for the different candidate armour materials considered for the design (i.e., Be for the primary first wall, Be and CFCs for the limiter, Be, W, and CFCs for the divertor plates) and including for certain cases low-density vapour shielding effects. The critical heat flux, the change of the coolant parameters and the possible severe degradation of the coolant heat removal capability that could result under certain conditions during these transients, for example for the limiter, are also evaluated. Based on the results, the design implications on the heat removal performance and erosion damage of the variuos ITER PFCs are critically discussed and some recommendations are made for the selection of the most adequate protection materials and optimum armour thickness.

ITER divertor, design issues and research and development ☆

Abstract Over the period of the ITER Engineering Design Activity (EDA) the results from physics experiments, modelling, engineering analyses and R&D, have been brought together to provide a design for an ITER divertor. The design satisfies all necessary requirements for steady state and transient heat flux, nuclear shielding, pumping, tritium inventory, impurity control, armour lifetime, electromagnetic loads, diagnostics, and remote maintenance. The design consists of 60 cassettes each comprising a cassette body onto which the plasma facing components (PFCs) are mounted. Each cassette is supported by toroidal rails which are attached to the vacuum vessel. For the PFCs the final armour choice is carbon-fibre-composite (CfC) for the strike point regions and tungsten in all remaining areas. R&D has demonstrated that CfC monoblocks can routinely withstand heat loads up to 20 MW m−2 and tungsten armour >10 MW m−2. Analysis and experiment show that a CfC armour thickness of ∼20 mm will provide sufficient lifetime for at least 1000 full power pulses. The thickness of the cassette body is sufficient to shield the vacuum vessel, so that, if necessary, rewelding is possible, and also provides sufficient stiffness against electromagnetically generated loads. The cassette design provides efficient and proven remote maintenance which should allow exchange of a complete divertor within ∼6 months.