Structural design criteria for high heat flux components

Abstract

The high temperature design rules of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) structural design criteria (ISDC) are applied to first wall designs with high heat flux. The maximum coolant pressure and surface heat flux capabilities are shown to be determined not only by the mechanical properties of the first wall material but also by the details of the blanket-design. In a high power density self-cooled lithium blanket, the maximum primary stress in the first wall is controlled by many of the geometrical parameters of the blanket, such as, first wall span, first wall curvature, first wall thickness, side wall thickness, and second wall thickness. Also, the creep-ratcheting lifetime of the first wall is controlled by many of the same geometrical parameters as well as the coolant temperature. According to most high temperature design codes, the time-dependent primary membrane stress allowable are based on the average temperature (ignoring thermal stress). Such a procedure may sometimes be unconservative, particularly for embrittled first walls with large temperature gradients. The effect of secondary (thermal) stresses on the accumulation of creep deformation is illustrated with a vanadium-alloy, flat plate first-wall design.