SiC-Composite First-Wall Design for the ARIES-I Reactor†

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Abstract
The ARIES-I reactor is a 1000-MWe, DT-burning tokamak reactor that combines present-day physics with advanced engineering technology such as high-field superconducting magnets and low-activation SiC composites as structural material. Recent developments in the manufacturing of fiber-reinforced ceramics for improved mechanical properties make these materials promising candidates for future fusion reactors. The low-activation, low-afterheat characteristics of SiC can lead to an inherently safe reactor design with a Class-C waste-disposal rating. The first wall, blanket, shield, and the divertor all use SiC composite as structural material and helium as coolant. The thermomechanical behavior of the first wall is analyzed using the ANSYS finite-element code. The analysis shows that the first wall performs well below suggested allowable stress and temperature limits. Although the finite element analysis assumes idealized conditions, the results indicate that SiC composite materials could perform well under specified operating conditions. Given the potential safety and environmental advantages of SiC composites, the current large-scale developmental efforts taking place outside of the fusion community should be complemented by R&D efforts that focus on neutron- and ionizing-irradiation effects on SiC composite materials.