STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NET ITER 1ST WALL AND COMPONENT TESTING

Finite element analysis has been used to optimise the geometry of the NET/ITER first wall for the thermal loads resulting from normal operation and to compare the performances of cooling schemes with conductive and radiative tiles. The structural integrity and lifetime prediction for this component have been assessed by the elastic routes of the ASME and RCC-MR design codes and the lifetime obtained for the radiatively cooled first wall at the peak loading was 2 x 10(5) cycles. To provide verification of these theoretical predictions a testing programme at the thermal testing facility of JRC Ispra has been initiated and the first results from the testing of a first wall mock-up are presented.