Publications

Failure of a lithium-filled target and some implications for fusion components

Nygren, Richard E.; Youchison, D.L.; Michael, Joseph R.; Puskar, J.D.; Lutz, Thomas J.

In preparation for testing a lithium-helium heat exchanger at Sandia, unexpected rapid failure of the mild steel lithium preheater due to liquid metal embrittlement occurred when lithium at ~400 °C flowed into the preheater then at ~200 °C. This happened before the helium system was pressurized or heating with electron beams began. The paper presents an analysis of the preheater plus a discussion of some implications for fusion.