Experimental study of lithium target under high power load

This paper presents experimental research on simulation of a free liquid li thium surface under high heat flux impact for divertor application. Capilla ry porous structure (CPS) was taken to form the free liquid metal surface i mitating divertor target plate. Experiments were performed in the SPRUT-4 l inear plasma device with electron beam as power source. Lithium-filled targ ets were investigated at 1-50 MW/m(2) heat loads in steady state. Lithium e vaporation, energy and mass balance, surface temperature, vapor ionization, lithium plasma parameters and radiation were studied. Detailed thermal ana lysis was made to study heat flows in the target and their correspondence w ith experimental observations, Durable operation of the setup was possible in the range 1-20 MW/m(2) without damage of the structure. The relevance of the experimental performance to divertor condition is analyzed. (C) 2001 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.