Effect of transient heating loads on beryllium

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design 2014-10, Vol.89 (7-8), p.1074-1080
• Main Authors: Kupriyanov, Igor B., Porezanov, Nicolay P., Nikolaev, Georgyi N., Kurbatova, Liudmila A., Podkovyrov, Vyacheslav L., Muzichenko, Anatoliy D., Zhitlukhin, Anatoliy M., Khimchenko, Leonid N., Gervash, Alexander A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beryllium; Cracks; Deuterium plasma; Erosion; Evolution; First wall; ITER; Microstructure; Plasma irradiation; Shot; Streams; Walls
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2014.01.013

•We study the effect of transient plasma loads on beryllium erosion and surface microstructure.•Beryllium targets were irradiated by plasma streams with energy of 0.5–1MJ/m2 at ∼250°C.•Under plasma loads 0.5–1MJ/m2 cracking of beryllium surface is rather slight.•Under 0.5MJ/m2 the mass loss of Be is no more than 0.2g/m2 shot and decreasing with shots number.•Under 1MJ/m2 maximum mass loss of beryllium was 3.7g/m2 shot and decreasing with shots number. Beryllium will be used as a plasma facing material for ITER first wall. It is expected that erosion of beryllium under transient plasma loads such as the edge-localized modes (ELMs) and disruptions will mainly determine a lifetime of ITER first wall. The results of recent experiments with the Russian beryllium of TGP-56FW ITER grade on QSPA-Be plasma gun facility are presented. The Be/CuCrZr mock-ups were exposed to upto 100 shots by deuterium plasma streams with pulse duration of 0.5ms at ∼250°C and average heat loads of 0.5 and 1MJ/m2. Experiments were performed at 250°C. The evolution of surface microstructure and cracks morphology as well as beryllium mass loss are investigated under erosion process.