Performance of the different tungsten grades under fusion relevant power loads

The test results of several W grades at conditions typical for plasma facin g component operations are summarised. These include the effects of steady- state heat fluxes (up to 43 MW/m(2)), disruption simulation (up to 30 MJ/m( 2) during 0.05-0.36 ms) and heat Aux tests of W after disruption simulation . Representatives of the main W grades have been investigated: pure sintere d W, W-Re and W-Mo cast alloys, W-1% La2O3, W-2% CeO2, single crystal W: et c. The resistance to high heat fluxes strongly depends on the orientation o f the W grains to incident heat flux and with proper orientation W can with stand heat fluxes up to 27 MW/m(2). After disruption simulation, intensive surface crack formation has been observed for all studied W grades except s ingle crystal W. Severe damage after disruption and thermal fatigue loading have been observed for almost all W grades except the W-5Re-0.1ZrC alloy a nd W-Re single crystal. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.