Thermomechanical Analysis of a PFC Integrating W Lattice Armour in Response to Different Plasma Scenarios Predicted in the EU-DEMO Tokamak

Abstract

Despite the high performance exhibited by tungsten (W), no material would be able to withstand the huge loads expected with extreme plasma transients in EU-DEMO and future reactors, where the installation of sacrificial first wall limiters is essential to prevent excessive wall degradation. The integration of W lattices in the architecture of such components can allow for meeting their conflictual requirements: indeed, they must ensure the effective exhaust of the nominal thermal load during stationary operation; when transients occur, they must thermally insulate and decouple the surface from the heat sink, promoting prompt vapour shielding formation. Starting from the optimised layouts highlighted in a previous study, in this work, a detailed 3D finite element model was developed to analyse in depth the influence of the actual features of the latticed metamaterial on the overall performance of the EU-DEMO limiter PFC on the basis of a flat tile configuration. Its main goal is to help in identifying the most promising layout as a preconceptual design for the fabrication of a small-scale mock-up. For this purpose, the complex geometry of a W-based lattice armour was faithfully reproduced in the model and analysed. This allowed for a detailed assessment of the thermally induced stresses that develop in the component because of the temperature field in response to a number of plasma scenarios—above all, normal operation and ramp down. Structural integrity was verified through the acceptance criteria established for ITER. The two optimised layouts proposed for the PFC were able to effectively meet the requirements under normal reactor operating conditions, while they missed some requirements in the ramp-down case. However, the first HHF tests will be performed in order to benchmark the analyses.