Plasma-Facing Cooling Channels With Alternating Jet Feed and Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma-facing components in plasma chambers, such as divertors and limiters, face significant challenges in efficiently managing high heat fluxes and waste material removal due to high temperatures and particle diffusion, leading to potential contamination and erosion.
Innovation Solution
A plasma-facing component design featuring internal cooling channels with alternating feed and return channels, arranged in non-overlapping repeating units, enhances heat transfer efficiency through jet impingement and bulk fluid flow, using materials like tungsten or molybdenum, and manufacturing methods like additive manufacturing to create a monolithic structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling channels are used in plasma-facing components, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but heat transfer efficiency is insufficient to manage high heat fluxes
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channel is segmented into multiple sections with alternating feed and return channels arranged in non-overlapping repeating units. Each unit contains openings that direct coolant jets at specific regions of the channel wall, creating discrete cooling zones that collectively manage the entire surface area exposed to high heat flux.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling approach transitions from simple linear channels to a three-dimensional arrangement where feed and return channels are stacked in non-overlapping repeating units along the channel length. This vertical stacking creates multiple cooling planes that simultaneously address heat flux from different directions and regions.
2Temperature
If coolant channels are arranged to maximize cooling coverage, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but mechanical stresses and structural integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the cooling channel structure are assigned different functions: the alternating feed and return channels provide localized cooling zones, while the non-overlapping repeating units maintain structural rigidity. The wall regions receive targeted coolant jets only where high heat flux occurs, rather than uniform cooling throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma-facing component uses composite construction with a copper-based cooling structure bonded to a tungsten or molybdenum plasma-facing layer. This composite design allows the copper to provide efficient heat conduction and cooling while the tungsten/molybdenum layer provides structural strength and resistance to plasma erosion.
3Temperature
If high heat flux is managed by increasing coolant flow, then temperature control improves, but erosion and contamination of plasma-facing surfaces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effects of high-velocity coolant flow (erosion and contamination) are extracted and confined to the internal cooling channels, away from the plasma-facing surfaces. The coolant is accelerated and directed against the channel walls inside the component structure, not against the external plasma-facing surfaces that would be damaged by such flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal cooling channel walls act as an intermediary between the high-velocity coolant flow and the plasma-facing surfaces. The coolant jets are directed against this intermediate surface, which absorbs the erosive and contaminating effects, while the plasma-facing surfaces remain protected from direct coolant exposure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively manages high heat fluxes and waste material, reducing contamination and erosion, while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing mechanical stresses, thus enhancing the operational safety and efficiency of plasma chambers.
Implementation Method 1
The feed channels are each configured to direct coolant fluid against a region of a wall of the cooling channel
Implementation Method 2
flowing water through a cooling tube
Implementation Method 3
heat to be transferred to the coolant fluid efficiently
Data Source
AI summary
A plasma-facing component for a plasma chamber, comprising: a plasma-facing target surface; an inlet through which to receive a coolant fluid and an outlet through which to expel the coolant fluid; and a plurality of internal cooling channels. Each cooling channel is connected to the inlet by a plurality of feed channels and to the outlet by a plurality of return channels, the feed channels being configured to direct coolant fluid against a region of a wall of the cooling channel. Respective openings of the feed and return channels into the cooling channel are arranged in non-overlapping repeating units along a length of the cooling channel. Each unit comprises openings of at least one feed channel and at least one return channel.