Critical Issues and Innovative Solutions for the Divertor Plate Design in Future Experimental Tokamak-Type Fusion Reactors

The use of fiber composite technology and finite element analyses on both micro- and macro-scale, can bring innovative solutions to the design of the divertor plate for future experimental fusion reactors. Overall divertor problems are discussed. An original and versatile solution is proposed and some promising results from a thermo-mechanical analysis are presented, using two- and three-dimensional modelling and a realistic heat flux profile, without separatrix sweeping. The effect of the third dimension is focused in this paper. Emphasis is also put on the integration of the micro- and macro-scale results. Finally inherent design improvements and weaknesses are discussed; the preliminary balance is highly positive.