Abstract
The development of beryllium first wall components for future magnetic confinement fusion experiments such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a topic of great importance as the ITER construction phase is about to begin. The beryllium components must be able to survive the harsh plasma environment for extended periods of time during operation. Furthermore, cost and detrimental health effects must be kept to a minimum during the fabrication and operation processes. The work described here details the requirements for ITER first wall components and describes experiments to produce beryllium high heat flux components by plasma spray deposition. Experimental parameters and characterization results from the components are presented. Results of initial high heat flux testing under electron beam irradiation show performance exceeding that required for ITER first wall components.
