Engineering topics
Donovan, David
Publications and source records attributed to Donovan, David.
Microscopy of Plasma-Materials Interactions in Tungsten for Fusion Power
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A multi-technique analysis of deuterium trapping and near-surface precipitate growth in plasma-exposed tungsten
In this work, we examine how deuterium becomes trapped in plasma-exposed tungsten and forms near-surface platelet-shaped precipitates. How these bubbles nucleate and grow, as well as the amount of deuterium trapped within, is crucial for interpreting the experimental database. Here, we use a combined experimental/theoretical approach to provide further insight into the underlying physics. With the Tritium Plasma Experiment, we exposed a series of ITER-grade tungsten samples to high flux D plasmas (up to 1.5 × 10{sup 22 }m{sup −2} s{sup −1}) at temperatures ranging between 103 and 554 °C. Retention of deuterium trapped in the bulk, assessed through thermal desorption spectrometry, reached a maximum at 230 °C and diminished rapidly thereafter for T > 300 °C. Post-mortem examination of the surfaces revealed non-uniform growth of bubbles ranging in diameter between 1 and 10 μm over the surface with a clear correlation with grain boundaries. Electron back-scattering diffraction maps over a large area of the surface confirmed this dependence; grains containing bubbles were aligned with a preferred slip vector along the <111> directions. Focused ion beam profiles suggest that these bubbles nucleated as platelets at depths of 200 nm–1 μm beneath the surface and grew as a result of expansion of sub-surface cracks. To estimate the amount of deuterium trapped in these defects relative to other sites within the material, we applied a continuum-scale treatment of hydrogen isotope precipitation. In addition, we propose a straightforward model of near-surface platelet expansion that reproduces bubble sizes consistent with our measurements. For the tungsten microstructure considered here, we find that bubbles would only weakly affect migration of D into the material, perhaps explaining why deep trapping was observed in prior studies with plasma-exposed neutron-irradiated specimens. We foresee no insurmountable issues that would prevent the theoretical framework developed here from being extended to a broader range of systems where precipitation of insoluble gases in ion beam or plasma-exposed metals is of interest.
Continuum-scale modeling of hydrogen and helium bubble growth in metals.
Abstract not provided.
Development of a plasma driven permeation experiment for TPE
Experiments on retention of hydrogen isotopes (including tritium) at temperatures less than 800 ?C have been carried out in the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) at Idaho National Laboratory [1,2]. To provide a direct measurement of plasma driven permeation in plasma facing materials at temperatures reaching 1000 ?C, a new TPE membrane holder has been built to hold test specimens (=1 mm in thickness) at high temperature while measuring tritium permeating through the membrane from the plasma facing side. This measurement is accomplished by employing a carrier gas that transports the permeating tritium from the backside of the membrane to ion chambers giving a direct measurement of the plasma driven tritium permeation rate. Isolation of the membrane cooling and sweep gases from TPE’s vacuum chamber has been demonstrated by sealing tests performed up to 1000 ?C of a membrane holder design that provides easy change out of membrane specimens between tests. Simulations of the helium carrier gas which transports tritium to the ion chamber indicate a very small pressure drop (~700 Pa) with good flow uniformity (at 1000 sccm). Thermal transport simulations indicate that temperatures up to 1000 ?C are expected at the highest TPE fluxes.
Size Exclusion Chromatography Studies of the Initial Self-Association Steps of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme Nucleation
Nucleation is one of the least understood aspects of crystallogenesis. In the case of macromolecule nucleation, this understanding is further hampered by uncertainty over what precisely is being discussed. We define the process of solute self-association (aggregation, oligomerization, interaction, clustering, etc.) whereby n-mers (n > or = 2) having a crystallographic or nascent crystallographic arrangement leading to the critical nucleus reversibly form in the solution, to be part of the nucleation process. This reversible self-association process is a fundamental part of the nucleation process, and occurs as a function of the solute concentration. In the case of chicken egg white lysozyme, a considerable body of experimental evidence leads us to the conclusion that it also forms the crystal growth units. Size exclusion chromatography is a simple and direct method for determining the equilibrium constants for the self-association process. A Pharmacia FPLC system was used to provide accurate solution flow rates. The column, injection valve, and sample loop were all mounted within a temperature-controlled chamber. Chromatographically re-purified lysozyme was first dialyzed against the column equilibration buffer, with injection onto the column after several hours pre-incubation at the running temperature. Preliminary experiments, were carried out using a Toyopearl HW-50F column (1 x 50cm), equilibrated with 0.1 M sodium acetate, 5% sodium chloride, pH 4.6, at 15C. Protein concentrations from 0.1 to 4 mg/ml were employed (C(sub sat) = 1.2 mg/ml). The data from several different protein preparations consistently shows a progressively decreasing elution volume with increasing protein concentration, indicating that reversible self-association is occurring. The dotted line indicates the monomeric lysozyme elution volume. However, lysozyme interacts with the column matrix in these experiments, which complicates data analysis.Accordingly, we are testing silica-based HPLC columns in an effort to eliminate this problem and substantially reduce the column volume and experimental run time. The results and data analysis from these and subsequent experiments will be presented.