Prediction of material erosion and lifetime during major plasma instabilities in tokamak devices

Surface and structural damage to plasma-facing components due to the frequent loss of plasma confinement remains a serious problem for the tokamak reactor concept. The deposited plasma energy during major disruptions, edge-localized modes (ELMs), and vertical displacement events (VDEs) causes significant surface erosion, possible structural failure, and frequent plasma contamination. Surface damage consists of vaporization, spallation, and liquid splatter of metallic materials. Structural damage includes large temperature increases and high thermal stresses in structural materials and at the interfaces between surface coatings and structural members. To evaluate the lifetimes of plasma-facing materials and nearby components and to predict the various forms of damage that they experience, comprehensive models (contained in the heights computer simulation package) are developed, integrated self-consistently, and enhanced. Splashing mechanisms such as bubble boiling and various liquid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities and brittle destruction mechanisms of nonmelting materials can be serious erosion mechanisms and are being studied in detail. The ejected macroscopic particles (MPs) will interact with incoming plasma particles and with the vapor cloud above the surface. Therefore, the dynamic behavior of MPs in the vapor cloud and their influence on total erosion rate is important. Results of self-consistent MHD calculations are presented in which the dynamics of both the vapor cloud and MP interaction are coupled with incoming plasma ions and electrons from the scrape-off layer during a disruption. The design requirements and implications of plasma facing and nearby components are discussed, along with recommendations to mitigate and reduce the effects of plasma instabilities on reactor components.