Surface Heating Calculation of Composite Material Under the Influence of an Electron Beam on the Surface

Abstract

Introduction. Modern plasma magnetic confinement systems use tungsten as a material in contact with plasma. Under the influence of high-density plasma irradiation, tungsten undergoes cracking, intense erosion, and macro-particle emission. High-temperature ceramics are considered a promising material for protective coating of plasma components, as they are resistant to thermal loads. One possible solution could be a boron carbide coating, which has a high melting temperature.Materials and Methods. The impact of an electron beam on samples of rolled tungsten and boron carbide and tungsten composite was studied in experiments on the BETA setup. The heat from the beam propagates into the samples, with the maximum temperature reached at the center and decreasing towards the edges. The modeling area represents a cross-section of the samples, optimal for a task with a cylindrical coordinate system. The numerical implementation is based on the correction scheme and the marching method.Results. A new model of heating the boron carbide and tungsten composite sample under the influence of surface heating by an electron beam is presented. The model is based on solving the heat conduction equation in an axially symmetric setup with constant values of specific heat capacity, density, and thermal conductivity of metals.Discussion and Conclusions. An analysis of the model of heating the composite material under the influence of surface heating by an electron beam at constant values of density, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity has been conducted. The modeling results are in demand for analyzing experimental results and planning experiments at the Beam of Electrons for Materials Test Applications (BETA) facility, created at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS.