The use of liquid metals in porous materials for divertor applications

Features of using capillary porous materials (stainless steel, tungsten, graphite) cooled by liquid lithium for divertor module of thermonuclear fusion reactor have been considered. Temperature distribution in divertor plate under the power density of 10 MW/m(2) was calculated for steady state and pulsed heat influences. The surface temperature as a function of power density and dependence of lithium evaporation yield on temperature was evaluated. Thickness of cover lithium layer with safe porous material against direct pulse heat influence type of plasma disruption (power density in the range of (1-5)10(3) MW/m(2)) was estimated. Concerning the problem under consideration, features of hydrodynamic and capillary effects as well as chemical interaction between lithium and investigated materials have been discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.