Plasma Heat Recovery System

Concept for converting plasma-side waste heat into electrical output via embedded thermoelectric modules, while maintaining neutron/particle shielding for reactor-adjacent and space-propulsion environments. Workflow combines ANSYS Fluent thermal fields with materials stack studies to balance survivability and energy recovery.

ANSYS Fluent Thermoelectrics (TEG) Shielding Design Parametric Studies
  • Recover heat from plasma-facing structures using TEG arrays.
  • Maintain protection with BeO/graphite/tungsten shielding combinations.
  • Evaluate degradation at interfaces under steady and pulsed loads.
  • Optimize layout for output per mass while respecting thermal limits.

Method Overview

  • Define plasma-side heat fluxes and duty cycles.
  • Layered materials model β†’ shielding + TEG sandwich.
  • Solve temperature/gradient fields (transient/steady).
  • Assess interface stresses & degradation envelopes.
  • Trade study: power gain vs. mass, complexity, and risk.

Simulation Snapshot (Placeholder)

Replace with: isotherms + heat-flux vectors, TEG Ξ”T map, and shielding comparison.
Figures will appear here after validation.

Materials & Shielding Stack

Layer Material Primary Function
Plasma-Facing Surface Graphite / Tungsten Particle/radiation load path, high-T diffusion, erosion resistance.
Shielding / Moderator BeO + Graphite (stack) Neutron attenuation, moderation, and thermal buffering.
Thermoelectric Layer Biβ‚‚Te₃ TEG Array Power generation from Ξ”T; electrical isolation maintained.

Last updated: October 2025