FIRST WALL AND FUSION MATERIALS

By Vinay Menon Scientist SC Prototype Divertors Division IPR

ITER DESIGN

 Any part of the tokamak that directly faces the plasma is known as the first wall or more broadly classified as Plasma Facing Components (PFCs) The Plasma Facing Components constitute - First Wall - Divertor / Limiters

LOADS FOR PLASMA FACING COMPONENTS

Considerations for selection of PFCs

High melting point Plasma contamination High strength Low activation Other issues specific to tokamaks like tritium retention etc.

LIMITERS
A solid surface, which defines the edge of the plasma

Limiter plays a number of roles in the operation of Tokamak: - it

1) protects the wall from the plasma when there are disruptions, runaway electrons, or other instabilities. 2) localizes the plasma surface interaction and particle recycling Three types of Limiters: 1) Poloidal limiter 2) Rail limiter 3) Toroidal limiter

TOROIDAL LIMITER OF TORE SUPRA

Tore Supra Tokamak uses a Toroidal limiter as its plasma facing component. It does not have a Divertor configuration.

POLOIDAL LIMITERS OF SST 1

DIVERTORS

One of the main fuctions of the divertor system is to exhaust major part of alpha particle power as well as He impurities from the plasma Apart from that it adds stability to the plasma as opposed to the closed limiter type of configuration

Candidate Materials as PFCs

Beryllium At no 4, MP 1278 C usable for low heat flux regions eg first wall. Advantages: Low radiated power, Disadvantages : low MP, Toxicity, high reactivity with water vapour to form Hydrogen Tungsten At No. 74, MP 3410 C usable for medium heat flux regions at the divertor targets like dome with heat loads <10MW/m2 Advantages: high MP, Low sputtering rate, Low atomic/ molecular retention. Disadvantages: crack formation due to brittleness below 500 C, deformation due to melting

Carbon At No 6, Sublimation point 3500 C usable for high heat flux regions strikepoint of the divertor Advantages : Low radiated power, sublimes above 3500C Disadvantages : high erosion rate, high atomic/molecular adsorption/retention rate.

DIVERTOR LAYOUT
The ITER Divertor is divided into 54 cassettes The cassette concept employed for the divertor is fundamental for the maintenance stategy minimizing maintenance time and allowing short RH intervention times and high reliability.

POWER CONDUCTED INTO THE DIVERTOR

DIVERTOR ASSEMBLY
1) PFCs intercept high energy plasma particles withstands all loads like Neutronic Loads, Thermal Loads & Electromagnetic Loads consists of an armour made of either carbon fibre reinforced carbon composite (CFC) or tungsten (W). 2) Cassette Body used as a support structure for mounting Divertor Targets facilitates supply of water to Divertor Targets for heat removal acts as a neutron shield for the vacuum vessel

COMPONENTS OF DIVERTOR
Divertor cassette body (CB) (SS316 L(N)-IG) o Complete Cassette Body is made by SS316 L(N)-I Type 3 o Fabrication - CAST, HIPed, Wrought Plate weld Inner & outer vertical targets (VTs) o Baffle area (W) + CFC + Heat sink(CuCrZr) + support structure (SS316L(N))+ Cooling Channel (SS316L(N)) Dome o Dome is made of SS316L(N) Cooling pipes o SS316L(N)-IG Type 2
Supporting structure (SS316L(N)) Link (nuts, hinges, pins etc.) Super alloy e.g. Nickel Inconel.

DESIGNATION OF SS316L(N)-IGX
316 Type of Steel L Low carbon content (N) Controlled nitrogen content IG ITER Grade X Progressive Number indicating the procurement specification 316(N)-IG1 for the modules of the primary wall should have a cobalt content <0.05% 316(N)-IG2 for the vacuum vessel should have a cobalt and niobium content as low as possible; cobalt and niobium <0.05% and <0.01%, respectively, have been assumed as industrially feasible limits; taking into account the requirement of re-welding the irradiated material, the boron content should be limited to 10 wppm 316(N)-IG3 cast plus HIPed steel for one of the options for the Divertor cassette body; cobalt is limited to 0.05%;

Cooling Channel Design

The ITER Design consists of - Armor (to sustain high heat loads) W / CFC - Heat sink (for improved conduction) CuCrZr alloy - Coolant Channel - CuCrZr Tube - Support Structure - SS 316 LN (IG)

Various Techniques used for fabrication of Divertor Targets

1 Hot Isostatic Process Joining Monoblock with CuCrZr tube Joining CFC/W tiles with CuCrZr plate Joining CuCrZr plate with SS316L(N) plate Electron beam/ laser Joining CFC/W tiles with CuCrZr plate welding Joining CuCrZr plate with CuCrZr plate Joining CuCrZr tube with SS316L(N) tube using nickel adapter

3
4 5

Electron/Laser beam Modification of inside surface of hole in surface modification monoblock geometry
Machining Coating/Casting Tungsten and Tungsten alloy machining CFC machining Activation of CFC surface Deposition of OFHC copper layer Tungsten deposition on CuCrZr/SS316L (N)

Water Cooled Targets Concepts

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

HELIUM COOLED DIVERTORS

1. About 15% of the total Fusion thermal power has to be removed by the Divertor.
2. Water as a coolant
Offers a very high htc compared to He Technology is well established Reacts explosively with Be Other safety concerns

3. Helium as a coolant
Chemical and neutronic inertness Compatible with materials such as beryllium, lithium, and lead that are anticipated for future fusion power plants. Easily integrated into a gas turbine cycle power cycle Operation at higher temperatures Low heat exchange capability

4. Operation with high coolant exit temperature allows for higher efficiency in power plant
conversion

Materials and anticipated temperature ranges required for a high temp helium cooled divertor
Component Material Min Temperature
600 C (DBTT) (irradiated)

Max Temperature
2500 C Melting temperature 3410 C
1300 C (Re-crystallization) 1300 C (Re-crystallization) 700-750 C strength limits

Tiles High heat flux and Helium Containment structures Structure and Manifolds

W- alloy

600 C (DBTT) (irradiated)

W- alloy ODS steel

600 C (DBTT) 400 C (DBTT)

(e) b) T-Tube concept for ARIES-CS (USA) - uses slot impingement to enhance htc,
The HEMJ concept

operates at 10 MPa, inlet/outlet 600/680C Max heat flux 10 MW/m2 effective htc 30 kW/m2K

(e) Uses jet impingement to enhance htc Inlet/outlet temp 600/700 C max heat flux - 10Mw/m2 effective htc - 31kW/m2 K a) The HETS concept - High efficiency thermal shield: initially developed for water, is now adopted for use with He as a coolant. Operates at 10 MPa inlet/outlet 600/669C, max heat flux 10 MW/m2

Operating Pressure 10 MPa

Other Major considerations in material selection

Low Activation Decommissionability Very high heat loads for materials facing the plasma Damage to the structure caused by high-energy neutrons IFMIF facility Production of tritium in situ Helium embrittlement Sputtering on surface & poisoning of plasma by heavy ions

International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF)

THANK YOU!