Beryllium and carbon films in JET following D–T operation

After the D–T operation (DTE-1 campaign) at JET a large number of limiter and divertor tiles were dismounted from the torus for ex situ examination. The relative distributions of deuterium, tritium, beryllium and carbon are presented and discussed. Significant asymmetry observed in the distribution of erosion and deposition zones indicates preferential flow of the deuterium background plasma and impurities towards the inner divertor leg. The comparison of the beryllium content on the limiter tiles from the main chamber and the content of this element on the inner divertor tiles clearly proves the beryllium erosion from the main chamber wall and its transport to the divertor. However, no beryllium is detected in the shadowed regions of the divertor where the formation of thick and fuel-rich carbon films occurs. This is interpreted in terms of different mechanisms governing the erosion and transport of Be and C. The results allow a conclusion that the operation with a full beryllium wall would lead to a significantly decreased fuel inventory due to removal of the carbon source.