Computational and experimental modeling of runaway electron damage

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6631176

Niemer, K A; Gilligan, J G ^[1]; Croessmann, C D ^[2]; Bolt, H H ^[3]

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1. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (USA). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
3. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Garching (Germany, F.R.). NET Design Team

Cracking, craters, spotty damage (discoloration), and missing chunks of material have been observed on limiters and along the midplane of tokamak inner walls. This damage is assumed to be due to runaway electron discharges. These runaway electrons have been predicted to range in energy from a few MeV to several hundred MeV. The energy density from the runaway electron discharges ranges from 10 to 500 MJ/m{sup 2} over pulse lengths of 5 to 50 msec. The PTA code package is a unique application of PATRAN, the Integrated TIGER Series, and ABAQUS for modeling high energy electron impact on tokamak first wall and limiter materials. The PTA code package provides a three-dimensional, time dependent, computational code package which predicts energy deposition, temperature rise, and damage on relevant fusion materials from runaway electrons. In this benchmark study, three experiments were modeled to validate the PTA code package. The first and third experiment simulated runaway electrons scattering through a plasma facing surface (graphite) into an internal structure (copper), and the second experiment tested the thermal and structural response from high energy electron impact on different fusion relevant materials. The PTA calculations compared favorably with the experimental results. In particular, the PTA models identified gap conductance, thermal contact, x-ray generation in materials, and the placement of high stopping power materials as key factors in the design of plasma facing components that are resistant to runaway electron damage. 13 refs., 40 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6631176
• Report Number(s): SAND-89-2304; ON: DE90016688; TRN: 90-027184
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
LIMITERS
DAMAGE
DEFECTS
RUNAWAY ELECTRONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
BENCHMARKS
CRACKING
ENERGY DENSITY
FIRST WALL
P CODES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
STOPPING POWER
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS
TOKAMAK DEVICES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLOSED PLASMA DEVICES
COMPUTER CODES
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
MATERIALS
PYROLYSIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SIMULATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
700209* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Component Development & Materials Testing