Remobilization of tungsten dust from castellated plasma-facing components

Abstract

Studies of tungsten dust remobilization from castellated plasma-facing components can shed light to whether gaps constitute a dust accumulation site with important implications for monitoring but also removal. Castellated structures of ITER relevant geometry that contained pre-adhered tungsten dust of controlled deposition profile have been exposed in the Pilot-PSI linear device. The experiments were performed under steady state and transient plasma conditions, as well as varying magnetic field topologies. The results suggest that dust remobilization from the plasma-facing monoblock surface can enhance dust trapping in the gaps and that tungsten dust is efficiently trapped inside the gaps.