Post-examination of helium-cooled tungsten components exposed to DEMO specific cyclic thermal loads

A concept of helium-cooled tungsten finger module was developed for the European DEMO divertor. The concept was realized and tested under DEMO specific cyclic thermal loads up to 10 MW/m2. The modules were examined carefully before and after loading by metallography and microstructural analyses. While before loading mainly discrete and shallow cracks were found on the tungsten surface due to the manufacturing process, dense crack networks were observed at the loaded surfaces due to the thermal stress. In addition, cracks occurred in the structural, heat sink part and propagated along the grains orientation of the deformed tungsten material. Facilitated by cracking, the molten brazing metal between the tungsten plasma facing material and the W–La2O3 heat sink, that could not withstand the operational temperatures, infiltrated the tungsten components and, due to capillary forces, even reached the plasma facing surface through the cracks. The formed cavity in the brazed layer reduced the heat conduction and the modules were further damaged due to overheating during the applied heat loads. Based on this detailed characterization and possible improvements of the design and of the manufacturing routes are discussed.