1.2 Plasma–Material Interactions Caused by Power Load …
7
in the plasma was too small to observe the effect of the heat load on PFS at that time.
Since then, many books on PMI or plasma–surface interactions (PSI)* have been
published. Some are given in references mostly focusing on sputtering and some
atomic processes of sputtered atoms in boundary plasma [2–15]. Based on these
PMI studies, plasma technologies are now widely used for the production of new
materials and/or material modification [16], which are not discussed here.
* Plasma–material interaction (PMI) or plasma–surface interaction (PSI) are often
used to represent the same meaning, so as plasma-facing surface (PFS) and plasmafacing materials (PFM). In this book, generally PMI and PFM are used, while PSI is
used to represent phenomena in which only PFS is involved.
1.3 Energy Conversion from Nuclear to Thermal
for Electric Power Generation
Figure 1.2 shows how energy released by a DT fusion reaction is converted to thermal
energy. The D-T reaction produces 14 MeV neutron and 3.5 MeV He.
D + T →
4 He(3.5MeV) + n(14.1MeV)
(1.1)
The main process to get electric power is energy conversion of the neutron energy
(14 MeV) to thermal heat of coolant (Rotational and vibrational motions of atoms or
molecules consisting of coolant or around 0.1 eV phonon) in the blanket. The 14 MeV
neutron directly goes into the blanket and its energy is first lost by a nuclear collision
Fig. 1.2 Fusion reactor system and energy conversion. http://www.fusion.qst.go.jp/rokkasyo/en/
project/blanket.html
7
in the plasma was too small to observe the effect of the heat load on PFS at that time.
Since then, many books on PMI or plasma–surface interactions (PSI)* have been
published. Some are given in references mostly focusing on sputtering and some
atomic processes of sputtered atoms in boundary plasma [2–15]. Based on these
PMI studies, plasma technologies are now widely used for the production of new
materials and/or material modification [16], which are not discussed here.
* Plasma–material interaction (PMI) or plasma–surface interaction (PSI) are often
used to represent the same meaning, so as plasma-facing surface (PFS) and plasmafacing materials (PFM). In this book, generally PMI and PFM are used, while PSI is
used to represent phenomena in which only PFS is involved.
1.3 Energy Conversion from Nuclear to Thermal
for Electric Power Generation
Figure 1.2 shows how energy released by a DT fusion reaction is converted to thermal
energy. The D-T reaction produces 14 MeV neutron and 3.5 MeV He.
D + T →
4 He(3.5MeV) + n(14.1MeV)
(1.1)
The main process to get electric power is energy conversion of the neutron energy
(14 MeV) to thermal heat of coolant (Rotational and vibrational motions of atoms or
molecules consisting of coolant or around 0.1 eV phonon) in the blanket. The 14 MeV
neutron directly goes into the blanket and its energy is first lost by a nuclear collision
Fig. 1.2 Fusion reactor system and energy conversion. http://www.fusion.qst.go.jp/rokkasyo/en/
project/blanket.html