Potential performances of a divertor concept based on liquid metal cooled SiCf/SiC structures

This paper describes a proposal of lithium–lead cooled divertor design using SiCf/SiC as structural material and W as armor material. Assuming an extrapolated thermal conductivity through the thickness of 20 W m−1 K−1, which is about a factor five larger than the today SiCf/SiC value, this design is able to withstand a maximum heat flux of 5 MW m−2. Furthermore, quite high average outlet Pb–17Li temperatures can be attained (1000 °C), with reasonable Pb–17Li velocity. Detailed thermo-mechanical analyses have been performed on the high heat flux plasma-facing region. The specificity of this concept is that it relies only on SiCf/SiC structural resistance capability without accounting for contribution of the W armor.