Structural considerations for a Tokamak fusion reactor

Abstract

Several preliminary structural analyses are presented which validate a design for the experimental power reactor. Three components are singled out as requiring special attention: the magnetic coils, the blanket support structure, and the blanket modules. Repeated loading of a coil structure by magnetic forces should produce only linear elastic deformation. An analysis for minimum preload necessary to ensure this is presented. Using axisymmetric thin shell theory, a stress analysis of the blanket support structure is described. To account for the welded ring structure, a perforated plate analysis is used to compute the structural displacements and the ligament stresses. Temperature distributions and thermal stresses in the blanket module are determined using both finite element and analytical analysis. The stresses are all acceptable, including the effects produced by creep and fatigue. Thermal stress in the liner produced by a nonlinear temperature gradient is also shown to be acceptable.