Radiative Heat Transport through Vapor Plasma for Fusion Heat Flux Studies and Electrothermal Plasma Sources Applications

Radiative Heat Transport through Vapor Plasma for Fusion Heat Flux Studies and Electrothermal Plasma Sources Applications

High heat fluxes of up to 100 GW/m2 and greater over a discharge period of 100 to 1000 μs can be generated from electrothermal (ET) plasma sources from the confined arc discharge. Sources with input energy of 10 kJ in a miniature capillary (4 mm radius and 9 cm length) are capable of producing 88.33 GW/m2 heat flux inside the capillary, higher heat fluxes can be generated for higher input energies. Such high heat fluxes are adequate to simulate the energy deposition during hard disruptions in future fusion tokamak reactors, which result in erosion and thermal deformation of the surfaces of the critical internal components of the reactor. Calculation of the eroded mass due to intensive transient radiative heat transport to the surfaces is very critical in terms of the determination of the performance, durability and the life time of these components.