Integrated approach in predicting damage to components in iter-like fusion devices during plasma instabilities

Abstract

Summary form only given. During normal operation of the high confinement mode in future ITER device, edge-localized modes (ELMs) are a potential threat to the divertor components lifetime and plasma contamination. A major disruption or a giant ELM event has a complex sequence of interaction stages with the tokamak components: part of plasma energy released to SOL, then converted to heat load on divertor plate, heating/melting/vaporization of plate, vapor expansion and continued heating from impinging plasma particles, vapor shielding of direct plasma deposition to plate, conversion of plasma deposited energy into photon radiations, radiation transport in shielding layer, and then radiation deposition on nearby components. In this regard, configuration/geometry of tokamak wall and divertor components and the magnetic field structure is a key factor in the performance of the tokamak fusion reactor. To predict the outcome of the direct ELM plasma impact on the divertor plate, conversion of plasma energy into radiation in the shielding layer, and then the resulting energy deposition of this radiation flux to surrounding areas, comprehensive physical and numerical models are developed and implemented in HEIGHTS package. The integrated models included five main parts: Monte Carlo block of disrupting plasma particles interaction with solid, liquid, vapor, and plasma matter; magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) block of plasma evolution taking into account magnetic field diffusion; heat conduction and vaporization block for tokamak plasma facing components; heat conduction block for vapor and plasma; and Monte Carlo radiation transport. The radiation transport block is based on the optical data calculated by the HEIGHTS atomic physics package.