Preliminary results of the experimental study of PFCs exposure to ELMs-like transient loads followed by high heat flux thermal fatigue

Abstract

This paper deals with the empirical evaluation of the plasma facing components (PFCs) lifetime under transient events, such as type I edge localized modes (ELMs), and high heat flux (HHF) thermal fatigue expected during ITER normal operations and slow transient events. The first results of experiments which are ongoing in the frame of an EU/RF collaboration are presented, in particular the results of the first campaign of exposure to ELMs-like load and HHF thermal fatigue performed on PFC monoblock mock ups. For carbon-fiber composite material the erosion was determined by the analysis of the PAN fibres. The erosion of tungsten is reported as melt layer movement and crack formation. As a preliminary result of the experiments performed one can say that the mock up power handling capability seems so far not to be affected by the ELMs and HHF cycling tests.