Failure of a lithium-filled target and some implications for fusion components

•Unexpected rapid failure of a small 1018 mild steel vessel preheated to ~200 °C and under vacuum occurred when lithium at ~400 °C and ~1 atm. flowed into the vessel.•Fractography confirms failure enabled by liquid metal embrittlement. In preparation for testing a lithium-helium heat exchanger at Sa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fusion engineering and design 2021-10, Vol.171 (C), p.112664, Article 112664
Main Authors: Nygren, R.E., Youchison, D.L., Michael, J.R., Puskar, J.D., Lutz, T.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Electron beams
Embrittlement
Ferritic
Heat exchangers
Heating equipment
Helium
Liquid metal
Liquid metal embrittlement
Lithium
Low carbon steels
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Summary:•Unexpected rapid failure of a small 1018 mild steel vessel preheated to ~200 °C and under vacuum occurred when lithium at ~400 °C and ~1 atm. flowed into the vessel.•Fractography confirms failure enabled by liquid metal embrittlement. In preparation for testing a lithium-helium heat exchanger at Sandia, unexpected rapid failure of the mild steel lithium preheater due to liquid metal embrittlement occurred when lithium at ~400 °C flowed into the preheater then at ~200 °C. This happened before the helium system was pressurized or heating with electron beams began. The paper presents an analysis of the preheater plus a discussion of some implications for fusion.
ISSN:0920-3796
1873-7196
DOI:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2021.112664