Non-destructive testing of divertor components

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design Vol. 61; pp. 141 - 146
• Main Authors: Merola, M, Chappuis, P, Escourbiac, F, Grattarola, M, Jeskanen, H, Kauppinen, P, Plöchl, L, Schedler, B, Schlosser, J, Smid, I, Tähtinen, S, Vesprini, R, Visca, E, Zabernig, A
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.2002; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Divertor; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Non-destructive testing; Thermal fatigue; Thermal fatigue; Divertor; Non-destructive testing; Tokamak; Fiber reinforced material; Electron beam; Nuclear reactor; Nuclear fusion reactor; Electron beam facility; Surface plasma interaction; Copper; Non destructive test; Carbon fiber
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-3796(02)00155-2

This task within the EU R&D for ITER had two main objectives: (1) qualification of inspection procedures for plasma facing components (PFC), (2) assessment of the behaviour of calibrated defects under high heat flux (HHF) cyclic loading. The ultimate goal of this work was to demonstrate that the reliable identification of fatal defects by the chosen non-destructive testing (NDT) methods can be achieved. This R&D was carried out according to the following steps: (1) manufacture of a divertor vertical target (VT) prototype with artificial calibrated defects; (2) blind non-destructive round robin test of the prototype; (3) HHF test in FE200 electron beam (EB) facility; (4) post-fatigue blind non-destructive round robin test; (5) destructive examination. The general final conclusion was that the NDT techniques can reliably detect and locate defects having dimensions well below those, which could impair the thermal fatigue lifetime.