Experiments of continuously and stably flowing lithium limiter in EAST towards a solution for the power exhaust of future fusion devices

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Nuclear Materials and Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2018.12.017· OSTI ID:1487163

Hu, J. S.; Zuo, G. Z.; Maingi, R.; Sun, Z.; Tritz, K.; Xu, W.; Yang, Q. X.; Andruczyk, D.; Huang, M.; Meng, X. C.; Gong, X. Z.; Ruzic, D. N.; Ni, M. J.; Wan, B. N.; Li, J. G.

Liquid lithium (Li) can partly ameliorate lifetime and power-exhaust issues of plasma facing components (PFCs) by enabling a self-healing, self-replenishing surface with a reduced susceptibility to neutron damage in future fusion devices. To assess operational stability and heat-exhaust capability under tokamak exposure, two generations of continuously flowing liquid Li (FLiLi) limiters on the concept of a thin flowing Li film have been successfully designed and tested in high performance discharges in EAST. The design uses a circulating Li layer with a thickness of <0.1 mm and a flow rate ~2 cm³s^–1. In addition, the limiter employs a novel electro-magnetic pump to drive liquid Li flow from a collector at the bottom of the limiter into a distributor at its top. Free surface gravitational flow closes the loop for a continuously flowing liquid Li film on the wetted PFC. Here we summarize key FLiLi limiter development and experimental results in H-mode plasmas.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Electricity (OE), Advanced Grid Research & Development. Power Systems Engineering Research
• Contributing Organization: This research is funded by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0402500), National Nature Science Foundation of China (11625524, 11775261,11605246, 11075185 and 11021565) and as well as the US Department of Energy contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.
• Grant/Contract Number: 2017YFA0402500; 11625524; 11775261; 11605246; 11075185; 11021565; AC02-09CH11466
• OSTI ID: 1487163
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1512478
• Journal Information: Nuclear Materials and Energy, Journal Name: Nuclear Materials and Energy Vol. 18 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 2352-1791
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: Netherlands
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Limiter
Lithium
Plasma facing component
EAST