Thermal stress analysis of FIRE divertor

Abstract

The fusion engineering research experiment (FIRE) device is designed for high power density and advanced physics operating modes. Due to the short distance of the divertor from the X-point, the connection lengths are short and the scrape off layer thickness is small. A relatively high peak heat flux of 25 MW/m 2 is expected on the divertor. The FIRE divertor engineering design is based on the design approaches developed for international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). The geometry of the FIRE divertor consists of water cooled copper fingers and a tungsten brush armor as plasma facing material. The divertor assembly consists of modular units for remote handling. A 316 stainless steel back plate is used for support and manifolding. The backing plate is joined to the copper fingers by pins. The coolant channel diameter is 8 mm at a pitch of 14 mm. The total power flow to the outer divertor is 35 MW. Water at an inlet temperature of 30 °C, 1.5 MPa and a flow velocity of 10 m/s is used with two channels in series. A margin of ≈1.6 is obtained on the critical heat flux. A three dimensional thermal stress finite element (FE) analysis of this geometry was performed. Thermal hydraulic correlations derived for ITER were used to perform the thermal analysis. Design changes were implemented to reduce the stresses and temperatures to acceptable levels.