Thermal analysis of coatings and substrate materials during a disruption in fusion reactors

摘要

In a tokamak fusion reactor, the frequency of occurrence and the severity of a plasma disruption event will determine the lifetime of the plasma facing components. Disruptions are plasma instabilities which result in rapid loss of confinement and termination of plasma current. Intense energy fluxes to components like the first wall and the diverter plate are expected during the disruptions. This high energy deposition in short times may cause severe surface erosion of these components resulting from melting and vaporization. Coatings and tile materials are proposed to protect and maintain the integrity of the underneath structural materials from both erosion losses as well as from high thermal stresses encountered during a disruption. The coating thickness should be large enough to withstand both erosion losses and to reduce the temperature rise in the substrate structural material. The coating thickness should be minimized to enhance the structural integrity, to reduce potential problems from radioactivity, and to minimize materials cost.