The thermal response of the first wall of a fusion reactor blanket to plasma disruptions

Major plasma disruptions in Tokamak power reactors are potentially dangerous because high thermal overloading of the first wall may occur, resulting in melting and evaporation. The present uncertainties of the disruption characteristics, in particular the space and time dependence of the energy deposition, lead to a wide variation in the prospective surface energy loads. The thermal response of a first wall of aluminium, stainless steel and of graphite subjected to disruption energy loads up to 1000 J cm-2 has been analysed including the effects of melting and surface evaporation, vapour recondensation, vapour shielding, and the moving of the surface boundary caused by the evaporation. A special calculation model has been developed for this purpose. The main results are the following: by values of local transient energy depositions over 1500 J cm-2 bare stainless steel walls are damaged severely. Further calculations are needed to estimate the endurance limit of several candidate first wall materials. Applications of coatings on surfaces need special attention. For the reference INTOR disruption (approx. 100 J cm-2) evaporation is not significant. The effect of vapour shielding on evaporation has been found to be significant. The effect on melting is less pronounced. In a complete analysis the stability and dynamic behaviour of the melted layer under electromagnetic forces should be included. Also a reliable set of plasma disruption characteristics should be gathered