Design for in-pile thermal fatigue of first wall mock-ups under ITER relevant conditions

Abstract

This paper describes the general design and the thermal analysis of an irradiation rig devoted to in-pile thermal fatigue testing of three actively cooled first wall (FW) mock-ups. The temperatures, stress distributions and stress amplitudes at the Be/CuCrZr interface of the mock-ups will be as close as possible to the values calculated for the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) FW panels. The heat flux will be provided by nuclear heating of high density (W) plates integrated on the Be-side. The assembly will be placed in the pool side facility of the high flux reactor in Petten. Thermal cycling is then arranged by mechanical movement towards and from the core box. As the thermal design of the irradiation rig is very critical, a pilot-irradiation will be performed to crosscheck the models used in the thermal and nuclear design of the rig.