The Challenges of Plasma Material Interactions in Nuclear Fusion Devices and Potential Solutions

Abstract

Plasma Material Interactions in future fusion reactors have been identified as a knowledge gap to be dealt with before any next step device past ITER can be built. The challenges are manifold. They are related to power dissipation so that the heat fluxes to the plasma facing components can be kept at technologically feasible levels; maximization of the lifetime of divertor plasma facing components that allow for steady-state operation in a reactor to reach the neutron fluences required; the tritium inventory (storage) in the plasma facing components, which can lead to potential safety concerns and reduction in the fuel efficiency; and it is related to the technology of the plasma facing components itself, which should demonstrate structural integrity under the high temperatures and neutron fluence. This contribution will give an overview and summary of those challenges together with some discussion of potential solutions. New linear plasma devices are needed to investigate the PMI under fusion reactor conditions and test novel plasma facing components. The Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment MPEX will be introduced and a status of the current R&D towards MPEX will be summarized.

Keywords:

• Plasma facing material
• reactor
• divertor
• power exhaust

Acknowledgments

Work supported in part by the US DOE under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.