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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Eliseo Visca, Enrico Di Pietro, Giancarlo Ceccotti, Giovanni Mercurio
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 689-693
Divertor Design and Experiments | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11963016
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The design of plasma-facing components for ITER, as for any of the envisaged next-step machines, relies on the use of junctions for coupling the armour materials to the heat sink and cooling tubes. A suitable diffusion bonding process for manufacturing the high heat flux components of ITER have been developed. The process parameters for defining the bonding technology are reported. The dependence of the load applied on the sample, the bonding temperature, dwell time and surface preparation were studied and the results applied in the construction of the mockups. Results of the shear tests performed to define the process parameters for different heat sink materials, such as CuCrZr alloy and DS copper, are reported. The S65 beryllium grade used (supplied by Brush and Wellman) had cubic and castellated finishing to increase its high heat flux resistance. A shear strength of about 150 MPa was obtained by using an interlayer of electrolytic copper deposited on the activated beryllium surface. This electrolytic deposition method gave good results and reproducibility so it was decided to use copper as interlayer in order to obtain a silver-free joint. After selecting the best process, medium-scale mockups of high heat flux components for testing on the electron beam facility were manufactured. The actively cooled mockups had a 50×30×8mm beryllium armour (castellated and non-castellated), with two kinds of heat sink material (Glidcop A125 and CuCrZr alloy). Both the samples produced for the shear tests as well as the mockups have been submitted to ultrasonic inspection to detect bonding defects.