While high-Z solid plasma-facing components (PFCs) are the leading candidates for reactors, it is unclear that they can survive the intense plasma material interaction (PMI). Liquid metals (LM) PFCs offer potential solutions since they are not susceptible to the same type of damage, and can be “self-healing”. Following the Fusion Energy System Study on Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components study that recently was completed by Kessel et al. (Fusion Sci Technnol 75:886, 2019) a domestic LM PFC design program has been initiated to develop reactor-relevant LM PFC concepts. This program seeks to evaluate LM PFC concepts for a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) or a Compact Pilot Plant via engineering design calculations, modeling of PMI and PFC components and laboratory experiments. The latter involves experiments in dedicated test stands and confinement devices and seeks to identify and answer open questions in LM PFC design. The new national LM PFC program is first investigating lithium as the plasma facing material for a flowing divertor PFC concept. Several flow speeds will be evaluated, ranging from ~ cm/s to m/s. The surface temperature will initially be held below the strongly evaporative limit in the first design; higher temperatures with strong evaporation will be considered in future concepts. Other topics of interest include: understanding of the hydrogen and helium interaction with the liquid lithium; single effect experiments on wetting, compatibility and embrittlement; and prototypical experiments for control and characterization of flowing LM. A path to plasma and future tokamak exposure of these concepts will be developed.

中文翻译：

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国内液态金属PFC聚变研究计划

虽然高 Z 固体面向等离子体组件 (PFC) 是反应堆的主要候选者，但尚不清楚它们是否能够承受强烈的等离子体材料相互作用 (PMI)。液态金属 (LM) PFC 提供了潜在的解决方案，因为它们不易受到相同类型的损坏，并且可以“自我修复”。继最近由 Kessel 等人完成的液态金属等离子体面向组件研究的聚变能量系统研究之后。(Fusion Sci Technnol 75:886, 2019) 已启动国内 LM PFC 设计计划，以开发与反应堆相关的 LM PFC 概念。该计划旨在通过工程设计计算、PMI 和 PFC 组件建模以及实验室实验来评估聚变核科学设施 (FNSF) 或紧凑型试验工厂的 LM PFC 概念。后者涉及在专用测试台和限制装置中进行的实验，旨在识别和回答 LM PFC 设计中的开放性问题。新的国家 LM PFC 计划首先研究锂作为流动偏滤器 PFC 概念的面向等离子体的材料。将评估几种流速，范围从 ~ cm/s 到 m/s。在第一个设计中，表面温度最初将保持在强蒸发极限以下；在未来的概念中将考虑具有强烈蒸发的更高温度。其他感兴趣的主题包括：了解氢和氦与液态锂的相互作用；润湿、相容性和脆化的单效试验；和用于控制和表征流动 LM 的原型实验。