Remobilization of tungsten dust from castellated plasma-facing components

• Published in: Nuclear materials and energy Vol. 12; pp. 536 - 540
• Main Authors: De Angeli, M., Tolias, P., Ratynskaia, S., Ripamonti, D., Riva, G., Bardin, S., Morgan, T., De Temmerman, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2017; Elsevier
• ISSN: 2352-1791; 2352-1791
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nme.2017.01.021

•Controlled studies of dust remobilization from castellated plasma-facing components.•W dust is efficiently trapped inside the gaps.•Remobilization from the top of mono-blocks can enhance W dust trapping in the gaps. Studies of tungsten dust remobilization from castellated plasma-facing components can shed light to whether gaps constitute a dust accumulation site with important implications for monitoring but also removal. Castellated structures of ITER relevant geometry that contained pre-adhered tungsten dust of controlled deposition profile have been exposed in the Pilot-PSI linear device. The experiments were performed under steady state and transient plasma conditions, as well as varying magnetic field topologies. The results suggest that dust remobilization from the plasma-facing monoblock surface can enhance dust trapping in the gaps and that tungsten dust is efficiently trapped inside the gaps.