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Review
. 2022 Sep 22;15(19):6591.
doi: 10.3390/ma15196591.

Materials to Be Used in Future Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactors: A Review

René Alba  1 , Roberto Iglesias  1 , María Ángeles Cerdeira  1
Affiliations
Review

Materials to Be Used in Future Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactors: A Review

René Alba et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

This paper presents the roadmap of the main materials to be used for ITER and DEMO class reactors as well as an overview of the most relevant innovations that have been made in recent years. The main idea in the EUROfusion development program for the FW (first wall) is the use of low-activation materials. Thus far, several candidates have been proposed: RAFM and ODS steels, SiC/SiC ceramic composites and vanadium alloys. In turn, the most relevant diagnostic systems and PFMs (plasma-facing materials) will be described, all accompanied by the corresponding justification for the selection of the materials as well as their main characteristics. Finally, an outlook will be provided on future material development activities to be carried out during the next phase of the conceptual design for DEMO, which is highly dependent on the success of the IFMIF-DONES facility, whose design, operation and objectives are also described in this paper.

Keywords: DEMO; IFMIF-DONES; ITER; ODS; PFM; RAFM; SiC; diagnostics; structural materials; vanadium alloys.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Nuclear fusion reaction. Reprinted from Wykis/WikimediaCommons.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Aerial view of the ITER site. Reprinted from Ref. [5]. Credit © ITER Organization, 2022.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Parts of one of the 54 divertor modules. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [11]. Credit © ITER Organization, 2019.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Main PFC designs for ITER. The charged particles depositing their energy are guided by the magnetic field lines. (a) Monoblock design. (b) Flat tile design. Reprinted from Ref. [12].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Prototypes of W designs as PFC for ITER. (a) Monoblock design. (b) Flat tile design. Reprinted from Ref. [12].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Surface damage with cracks induced by electron beam pulses. Reprinted from Ref. [12].
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) PM Wf/W prototype (b) typical fracture surface of CVD Wf/W. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [29]. Credit © IOP Publishing, 2021.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Prototype panel for the FW manufactured by Framatome. Reprinted from Ref. [39].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Microstructure of fractured surfaces: (a) uncoated and (b) coated. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [45]. Credit © Elsevier, 2019.
Figure 10
Figure 10
General view of the distribution of the main elements of the 4 TBS within the tokamak and tritium building. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [59]. Credit © Elsevier, 2020.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Microstructure of a CVI SiC/SiC composite. Reprinted from WikimediaCommons. Credit © MT Aerospace AG, 2006.
Figure 12
Figure 12
EUROFER and SiC/SiC radioactive decay in logarithmic scale. The vertical axis is in units of Bq/kg. Reprinted from Ref. [16].
Figure 13
Figure 13
SIC-sandwich prototypes produced by gel casting at lab-scale. Reprinted from Ref. [79].
Figure 14
Figure 14
Illustration of a self-cooled Li blanket with structural material V-4Cr-4Ti. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [88]. Credit © Elsevier, 2012.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Yield strength of V alloy as a function of temperature and irradiation dose. Reprinted from Ref. [95]. Credit © Elsevier, 2019.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Neutron flux over the different diagnostic systems. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [107]. Credit © Elsevier, 2017.
Figure 17
Figure 17
(a) Illustration of FWS distribution (red spots). (b) Conceptual design: 1. sample body, 2. Be insert with markers, 3. reference point. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [11]. Credit © ITER Organization, 2019.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Schematic arrangement of the optical measurement components. Reprinted from Ref. [110].
Figure 19
Figure 19
Sample of diamond windows produced by CVD. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [116]. Credit © Diamond Materials, 2020.
Figure 20
Figure 20
Prototype bolometer for ITER after receiving 10 thermal cycles at 400 °C. Reprinted from Ref. [118]. Credit © Stefan Schmitt, Fraunhofer-IMM, 2020.
Figure 21
Figure 21
Block diagram of WAVS operation. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [121]. Credit © Elsevier, 2021.
Figure 22
Figure 22
FM prototype with realistic WAVS geometry (scale 1:1). Reprinted from Ref. [123].
Figure 23
Figure 23
Recreation of the installation in its proposed location. Reprinted from Ref. [126].
Figure 24
Figure 24
Process carried out in IFMIF-DONES. Reprinted from Ref. [129].
Figure 25
Figure 25
Simulation of irradiation damage in the divertor for (a) Cu alloy and (b) W. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [131]. Credit © IOP Science, 2017.
Figure 26
Figure 26
Damage dose rate as a function of HFTM volume with the 3 materials to be studied in DONES. Reprinted with permission from Ref. [131]. Credit © IOP Science, 2017.
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