Electromagnetic analyses and optimization for slit configuration of ITER blanket shield block

Abstract

Electromagnetic (EM) load is one of the most concerned design issues for the in-vessel components in the Tokamak device. For shield block (SB), quite a few of slits cut on the SB are designed to mitigate the EM load. In this study, a solid model of blanket system with other main surrounding components, such as vacuum vessel, was developed, and FE analyses were performed to address the eddy current and Lorentz force during major disruption (MD) with ANSYS EMAG code package. In order to get a regular hexahedral mesh of the SB with complex interface, a brick-like meshing is used to get a more reliable result. Key factors which potentially have great impacts on the eddy current were studied individually by SB04 of the standard blanket module, such as the depth, location and number of the slits. To better understand the effects of cooling channels on the EM load, SB04 without cooling channel are calculated to make comparisons. Two important conclusions can be made from this study. The first one is that cooling channels have a little impact on the EM load. This is because the cooling channels cut into the eddy current locally, and the global current loop is not affected. The second is that slit configuration is important to control the EM load, and their depths, locations and numbers are also important.