Rg. Castro et al., OPTIMIZING THE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF VACUUM PLASMA-SPRAYED BERYLLIUM FOR FUSION APPLICATIONS, Journal of nuclear materials, 226(1-2), 1995, pp. 170-177
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Nuclear Sciences & Tecnology","Mining & Mineral Processing","Material Science
Plasma-spraying of beryllium is under investigation as a potential met
hod for coating the first wall blanket surface of the International Th
ermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and as a technique for regener
ating damaged beryllium surfaces as a result of normal and off-normal
operating events. Methods to optimize the thermal conductivity of vacu
um plasma-sprayed (VPS) beryllium are currently under investigation at
the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Beryllium Atomization and Therma
l Spray Facility (BATSF). Studies are being conducted to evaluate the
effect of the starting beryllium feedstock powder, processing paramete
rs and resulting microstructures on the thermal conductivity of VPS be
ryllium. The characteristic layered microstructure, typical of plasma-
sprayed deposits, contains regions of incomplete bonding between indiv
idual splat layers which can decrease the thermal conductivity through
the thickness of the deposit. Impurities present in the starting bery
llium feedstock powder can also influence the thermal conductivity of
VPS beryllium by causing impurity striations throughout the thickness
of the deposit.