Simulation and analysis of the response of carbon materials to off-normal heat loads accompanying plasma disruptions

The effects of off-normal heat loads accompanying plasmadisruptions have been studied by both experimental and numerical simulations. Experiments have been performed on a range of polygranular graphites, pyrolytic graphite and carbon composite material. The measured erosion is compared with numerical predictions by a transient heat load code taking a revised value for the vaporization enthalpy of carbon. The effect of variations in thermo-physical material parameters on thermal erosion behaviour is discussed.