Optimization and evaluation of a water-cooled target probe in linear plasma devices by computational fluid dynamics methods

Abstract

Effective cooling of the target probe under extreme plasma operational conditions is crucial for ensuring stable and reliable diagnostic measurements. In this study, we designed a water-cooled target probe specifically tailored for deployment in a linear plasma device (LPD). Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods were employed to evaluate and optimize the cooling performance of the target probe. CFD simulations included different probe base structures and inlet pipe types. The trade-offs between enhanced heat transfer and the associated pressure drop losses for different inlet pipe designs have been comprehensively considered. Simulation results indicated that at a Gaussian heat load of 10 MW/m², which simulates a plasma discharge scenario in the LPD, the maximum temperature of the tungsten probe tip for the optimized target probe was reduced to approximately 723 ℃. Extending the thermal analysis to a future scenario where the target probe is subjected to three adjacent plasma beams, the temperature increase of the tungsten probe tips was not significant. This robust cooling performance highlights the potential of the target probe for application in advanced linear plasma devices that feature multiple or multichannel plasma sources.