Observations of the Convection Effects on Particles and Heat Transport in Liquid Metals Under Plasma Bombardment and Infrared Heat Radiation

Abstract

To resolve technical issues associated with the plasma-facing components (PFCs) such as the divertor to be installed in a steady state magnetic fusion DEMO reactor, employing high-temperature metals such as tungsten for the surface component, the use of liquid metals (LMs) such as molten lithium has been proposed and evaluated as a possible resolution over the past two or so decades, using plasma confinement devices as well as laboratory-scale experimental facilities. The present work is intended to explore the effect of forced convection in liquid metals on the transport behavior of particles and heat from divertor plasma bombardment. Laboratory-scale experiments have been conducted, using GaInSn and molten lithium as the liquid metal targets to be exposed to steady-state plasmas and infrared irradiation. Data clearly indicate that electromagnetically induced convection can enhance particles and heat transport in these liquid metals, proof-of-principle data for convected LM-PFCs.