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Abstract
Recently, Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE), a unique high-flux linear plasma device that can handle beryllium, tritium and neutron-irradiated plasma facing materials, has undergone major upgrades in its electrical and control systems. The upgrade has improved worker occupational safety, and enhanced TPE plasma performance to better simulate extreme plasma-material-interaction (PMI) conditions expected in ITER, Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) and demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO). The PMI determines a boundary condition for diffusing tritium into bulk plasma-facing components (PFCs) and plays critical role in in-vessel and ex-vessel safety assessments. Enhancing surface capabilities for tritium-contaminated and radioactive samples is crucial for the PMI sciences in burning plasma long pulse operation. The TPE Upgrade and improvement of surface diagnostic capabilities for tritium-contaminated and radioactive samples at STAR facility help enhance tritium and nuclear PMI sciences for the development of reliable PFCs and tritium fuel cycle in ITER, FNSF and DEMO.
Acknowledgments
The author is grateful to Lisa Moore-McAteer (INL), Shayne Loftus (INL), Dean Stewart (INL), John Whipple (INL), Kate Jensen (INL) and Byron Denny (LANL) for their technical, radiological, electrical and safety support. Acquisition of Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy was made possible by a generous support from INL Nuclear Science & Technology directorate. This work was prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, under the DOE Idaho Field Office contract number DE-AC07-05ID14517.