Applied technologies and inspections for the W7-X pre-series target elements

The target areas intercept the open field lines at the plasma boundary and are the most heat-loaded zone of the WENDELSTEIN 7-X (W7-X) divertor. The 19 m2 of the target areas, which are formed by 890 water-cooled target elements, are made of CuCrZr heat sinks covered with CFC tiles. Before mass-production, a pre-series stage has been launched to qualify the design and the various steps of the manufacturing route. The purpose is to select the technology to bond the tiles, to qualify the different non-destructive examinations and to better define the relevant acceptance criteria for the serial production.