Optimization of lithium vapor box divertor evaporator location on NSTX-U using SOLPS-ITER

Emdee, Eric; Goldston, Robert James; Khodak, Andrei; Maingi, R.

doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad57d2

Optimization of lithium vapor box divertor evaporator location on NSTX-U using SOLPS-ITER

Journal Article · Thu Jun 13 04:00:00 EDT 2024 · Nuclear Fusion

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ad57d2· OSTI ID:2376990

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Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Commercial fusion reactors will be faced with extremely high divertor target heat fluxes that will require mitigation. Simulations of detachment in an NSTX-U scenario projected to have 92 MW/m² unmitigated peak target heat flux are presented, which reaches sub-10 MW/m² target heat flux using a highly dissipating lithium vapor box divertor design. The lithium vapor box is a detached divertor design which employs lithium vapor evaporation and condensation to contain lithium below the X-point. Previous SOLPS modeling has indicated a lithium vapor box can reduce the heat flux down to 10 MW/m² via simultaneous evaporation from the Private Flux Region (PFR) and the Common Flux Region (CFR) sides of the vapor box. It is found here that PFR evaporation has improved access to the separatrix leading to significantly more efficient power dissipation than CFR evaporation. Simulations of target evaporation with an evaporation distribution that is self-consistent with the temperature of a Capillary Porous System with Fast flowing liquid lithium (CPSF) could reach n_Li / n_e ~ 0.025-0.030 at the Last Closed Flux Surface (LCFS) depending on the liquid metal flow speeds and lithium sputtering yield, while PFR-side evaporation can reach acceptable heat fluxes with n_Li / n_e ~ 0.038 at the LCFS. However, PFR evaporator performance can be improved if the target is allowed to be hot enough such that it reflects lithium, reaching n_Li / n_e ~ 0.028 and reducing required lithium evaporation. Ultimately PFR evaporation and target evaporation are found to have similar ability to produce acceptable heat flux solutions with minimal upstream concentration.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-09CH11466

OSTI ID:: 2376990

Journal Information:: Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 64; ISSN 0029-5515

Publisher:: IOP ScienceCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Optimization of lithium vapor box divertor evaporator location on NSTX-U using SOLPS-ITER

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