Evaluation of tritium retention in plasma facing components during JET tritium operations

An assessment of the tritium (T) inventory in plasma facing components (PFC) during JET T and deuterium-tritium (DT) operations is presented based on the most comprehensive ex situ fuel retention data set on JET PFCs from the 2015-2016 ILW3 operating period is presented. The global fuel retention is 4.19 x 10(23) D atoms, 0.19% of injected fuel. The inner divertor remains the region of highest fuel retention (46.5%). The T inventory in PFCs at the end of JET operations is calculated as 7.48 x 10(22) atoms and is informative for accountancy, clean-up efficacy and waste liability assessments. The T accumulation rate at the upper inner divertor during JET DT operations has been used to assess the requirements and frequency of operation of a new laser induced desorption diagnostic to be installed on JET for the final DT experiments in 2023.Peer reviewe

The deposition and characterisation of metallic thin films and magnetic multilayers prepared by pulsed laser ablation deposition

This thesis investigates the use of pulsed laser deposition (PLAD) for the preparation of metallic films and magnetic multilayers. Initial work focuses on the effects of the laser wavelength and the laser pulse temporal profile on the deposition rates of nickel and silver and the droplet numbers deposited on to films. The results show that the deposition of silver films is affected by the sputtering of material from the substrate by energetic ions in the plasma and that this leads to saturation of the deposition rate at high fluences. The saturation features are not as pronounced in nickel deposition rates. We see that droplet numbers are only weakly dependent upon the laser wavelength, with fewer being present at shorter wavelengths. The effect that the number of pulses has on droplet numbers is also investigated. In the case of the pulse profile study more droplets were observed on films deposited using the picosecond (ps) pulse profiles. As for the nanosecond (ns) pulse profile the saturation in the deposition rates was observed in silver but not in nickel. The results of the ps laser pulse profiles showed that the ns background was dominant in the ablation process. Two further investigations into reducing droplet numbers were performed. These showed that a uniform beam profile was not sufficient for eliminating droplets from the PLAD process and that the use of a tape target in conjunction with a ps pulse profile did not reduce droplet numbers either. The aims of the second section of this thesis were to assess the suitability of PLAD for depositing multilayers and obtain PylPt multilayers showing a sensitive giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect at low applied magnetic field. Samples prepared by two PLAD systems and by RF sputtering were compared. An anisotropic magneto resistance effect was measured, however GMR was not. The multilayer structures were characterised using x-ray reflectivity and cross sectional transmission electron micrographs. The results showed greater uniformity in the layers deposited by sputtering than PLAD

Obtaining SiC fibers–PyC interfacial properties through push-out FEM Models

Silicon carbide (SiC) has attractive properties for use in nuclear reactors. However, it is hampered by inherent brittleness that is overcome through a fiber-reinforced composite. A finite element model based on cohesive zone contact coupled to Coulomb friction is proposed to simulate the push-out response of isolated fibers in SiC/PyC fiber-reinforced composites. The model reproduces the measurements obtained during push-out experiments of isolated fibers in different configurations and predicts interfacial failure between the PyC interphase and fiber. The brittle properties predicted coincide with literature indicating that fiber–PyC interface could prevent the crack propagation through the fiber, fulfilling the function of the structure

Irradiation Damage Independent Deuterium Retention in WMoTaNbV

High entropy alloys are a promising new class of metal alloys with outstanding radiation resistance and thermal stability. The interaction with hydrogen might, however, have desired (H storage) or undesired effects, such as hydrogen-induced embrittlement or tritium retention in the fusion reactor wall. High entropy alloy WMoTaNbV and bulk W samples were used to study the quantity of irradiation-induced trapping sites and properties of D retention by employing thermal desorption spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and elastic recoil detection analysis. The D implantation was not found to create additional hydrogen traps in WMoTaNbV as it does in W, while 90 at% of implanted D is retained in WMoTaNbV, in contrast to 35 at% in W. Implantation created damage predicted by SRIM is 0.24 dpa in WMoTaNbV, calculated with a density of 6.044×1022 atoms/cm3. The depth of the maximum damage was 90 nm. An effective trapping energy for D in WMoTaNbV was found to be about 1.7 eV, and the D emission temperature was close to 700 °C

Ion Microbeam Analyses of Dust Particles and Codeposits from JET with the ITER-Like Wall

Generation of metal dust in the JET tokamak with the ITER-like wall (ILW) is a topic of vital interest to next-step fusion devices because of safety issues with plasma operation. Simultaneous Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA) and Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) with a focused four MeV 3He microbeam was used to determine the composition of dust particles related to the JET operation with the ILW. The focus was on “Be-rich particles” collected from the deposition zone on the inner divertor tile. The particles found are composed of a mix of codeposited species up to 120 μm in size with a thickness of 30–40 μm. The main constituents are D from the fusion fuel, Be and W from the main plasma-facing components, and Ni and Cr from the Inconel grills of the antennas for auxiliary plasma heating. Elemental concentrations were estimated by iterative NRA-PIXE analysis. Two types of dust particles were found: (i) larger Be-rich particles with Be concentrations above 90 at% with a deuterium presence of up to 3.4 at% and containing Ni (1–3 at%), Cr (0.4–0.8 at%), W (0.2–0.9 at%), Fe (0.3–0.6 at%), and Cu and Ti in lower concentrations and (ii) small particles rich in Al and/or Si that were in some cases accompanied by other elements, such as Fe, Cu, or Ti or W and Mo

Data on erosion and hydrogen fuel retention in Beryllium plasma-facing materials

ITER will use beryllium as a plasma-facing material in the main chamber, covering a total surface area of about 620 m(2). Given the importance of beryllium erosion and co-deposition for tritium retention in ITER, significant efforts have been made to understand the behaviour of beryllium under fusion-relevant conditions with high particle and heat loads. This paper provides a comprehensive report on the state of knowledge of beryllium behaviour under fusion-relevant conditions: the erosion mechanisms and their consequences, beryllium migration in JET, fuel retention and dust generation. The paper reviews basic laboratory studies, advanced computer simulations and experience from laboratory plasma experiments in linear simulators of plasma-wall interactions and in controlled fusion devices using beryllium plasma-facing components. A critical assessment of analytical methods and simulation codes used in beryllium studies is given. The overall objective is to review the existing set of data with a broad literature survey and to identify gaps and research needs to broaden the database for ITER.Peer reviewe

Taste processing in Drosophila larvae.

The sense of taste allows animals to detect chemical substances in their environment to initiate appropriate behaviors: to find food or a mate, to avoid hostile environments and predators. Drosophila larvae are a promising model organism to study gustation. Their simple nervous system triggers stereotypic behavioral responses, and the coding of taste can be studied by genetic tools at the single cell level. This review briefly summarizes recent progress on how taste information is sensed and processed by larval cephalic and pharyngeal sense organs. The focus lies on several studies, which revealed cellular and molecular mechanisms required to process sugar, salt, and bitter substances

Moderate-to-Severe Diarrhea and Stunting Among Children Younger Than 5 Years: Findings From the Vaccine Impact on Diarrhea in Africa (VIDA) Study.

BACKGROUND: Stunting affects >20% of children <5 years old worldwide and disproportionately impacts underserved communities. The Vaccine Impact on Diarrhea in Africa (VIDA) Study examined the association between an episode of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) and the risk of subsequent stunting in children <5 years living in 3 sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: In this prospective, matched, case-control study among children <5 years, data were collected over 36 months from 2 groups. "Children with MSD" visited a health center within 7 days of illness onset experiencing ≥3 loose stools/day plus sunken eyes, poor skin turgor, dysentery, intravenous rehydration, or hospitalization. "Children without MSD" were enrolled from the community within 14 days of the index MSD child; they were diarrhea-free during the previous 7 days and were matched to the index case by age, sex, and residence. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models, we estimated the effect of an MSD episode on odds of being stunted, defined as height-for-age z-scores <-2, at a follow-up visit 2-3 months post-enrollment. RESULTS: The proportion of stunting at enrollment was similar when 4603 children with MSD and 5976 children without MSD were compared (21.8% vs 21.3%; P = .504). Among children not stunted at enrollment, those with MSD had 30% higher odds of being stunted at follow-up than children without MSD after controlling for age, sex, study site, and socioeconomic status (adjusted OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.05-1.62: P = .018). CONCLUSIONS: Children <5 years in sub-Saharan Africa without stunting experienced an increased likelihood of stunting during 2-3 months following an episode of MSD. Strategies for control of early childhood diarrhea should be integrated into programs intended to reduce childhood stunting