Research Needs for Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences - US Burning ...

technology is now evolving to include large area (0.3m x 0.3m), multiple-channel components
with integrated manifolds and a minimum of joints. successful demonstration and further scaleup
are required. another possibility is the creation of monolithic PFcs consisting of refractory
heat sinks and refractory armor such as tungsten rods or lamellae with no joints or thermal expansion
mismatches. in other cases, diffusion bonding may be appropriate, for example, where
refractory armor joins to oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steel transition pieces followed
by RaFm steel heat sinks. The Japanese recently demonstrated diffusion bonding of tungsten to
RaFm steel for high-temperature blanket applications.
Thrust 14 will address radiation damage and tritium permeation through PFc materials in the
presence of a neutron flux and fluence. This information is necessary to affect design features that
help minimize the tritium inventory in the coolant and compensate for degradation in thermal
and mechanical properties in the PFc.
advanced techniques for robotic nondestructive evaluation (nde) require further development to
ensure the fabrication of robust PFc joints including welds, brazes, and diffusion bonds that can
transfer the heat in the presence of high edge alpha and neutron flux. in addition, nde techniques
are required for performance and maintenance evaluations during reactor operations. selected
PFcs must include integrated engineering diagnostics such as flow, temperature and stress measurements
to monitor run-time performance. These engineering diagnostics — coupled with routine
nde during maintenance periods — will supply the data necessary for the development of PFc
lifetime prediction models. such models are needed to formulate preventive maintenance protocols.
vertical heat removal targets with