3D numerical thermal stress analysis of the high power target for the SLC positron source

The volumetrically nonuniform power deposition of the incident 33 GeV electron beam in the SLC positron source target is hypothesized to be the most likely cause of target failure. The resultant pulsed temperature distributions are known to generate complicated stress fields with no known closed-form analytical solution. Three-dimensional finite-element analyses of these temperature distributions and associated thermal stress fields in the new high power target are described. Operational guidelines based on the results of these analyses combined with assumptions made about the fatigue characteristics of the exotic target material are proposed.<>