Theoretical investigation of a first wall fabrication process

The breeding blanket is one of the most important components of a fusion power plant. It combines functions including cooling, fuel breeding materials containment and protection against plasma impacts caused by loss of plasma confinement. The first wall is the largest component of the blanket that faces the plasma. One promising FW concept is a U-shaped plate with coolant channels. Manufacturing of this geometry can start with flat symmetric half plates with half of the coolant channels milled in each plate. These plates will be connected by diffusion welding and will be bent to shape after joining and heat treatment. A final heat treatment will recover any possible material deterioration caused by the bending process. This work treated different variants of a possible severe bending process to form a FW. The question of backup plates has to be investigated according to the position of the neutral axis. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.