Numerical analysis of MD events and preliminary thermal calculation for KTX vacuum vessel

KTX is a new reversed field pinch (RFP) magnetic confinement device which is under design in ASIPP and USTC. Major disruption (MD) events may occur in future operating process, which is simulated with the finite element (FE) method. The results present that the peaks of eddy currents on vessel and conductor shell are respectively 11.791 kA and 68.637 kA with maximum stress 67.1 MPa due to high transient electromagnetic (EM) force. It is confirmed that the structure is still strong enough to bear the electromagnetic loads even if the worst case. Besides, as KTX vacuum vessel will take the method of natural cooling for heat dissipation during plasma discharge (0.5–1.0 MA), a preliminary thermal calculation was implemented in normal condition to decide suitable time parameters such as duration and interval. It is suggested that the discharge interval should be no less than 5 min for the complete 1 MA plasma with 100 ms duration, which can guarantee the temperature of vacuum vessel below 200 °C.