Tungsten erosion in the outer divertor of JET

Abstract

Erosion of tungsten in the outer JET divertor was determined with a set of tungsten coated divertor tiles during the 2001–2004 discharge campaign. The tungsten marker was strongly eroded, with the largest erosion at the outer strike point position, where more than 75% of the initial W disappeared. Strong erosion is also observed at the outer baffle and horizontal apron of tile 8, where about half of the tungsten has been removed. These numbers are lower boundaries, because the W was locally completely eroded. The tungsten erosion is inhomogeneous on a microscopic level and depends on the micro-topography of the rough surface: large erosion with complete disappearance of the W layer is observed on plasma-facing areas of microscopic ridges, while a smaller erosion and sometimes even deposition of carbon is found on the far side of ridges and in pores.