Thermoviscoplastic Analysis of First Walls Subjected to Fusion Power Transients

Abstract

Abrupt thermal fluxes on the first walls of fusion reactors represent a loading environment that requires advanced analytical capabilities. Solutions are needed to a wide range of postulated conditions to provide guidance for safety features and design modifications. A brief outline is given of a computer code that provides an integrated procedure for handling thermal stresses and large deformations under dynamic conditions. The code includes a new thermoviscoplastic constitutive equation that incorporates thermal softening, failure and strain rate. Solutions to several verification and illustrative problems are given.