Analytical expressions for thermophysical properties of solid and liquid beryllium relevant for fusion applications

TL;DR

This paper reviews and consolidates experimental data on the thermophysical properties of solid and liquid beryllium, providing analytical expressions for their temperature dependence to support fusion plasma-surface interaction modeling.

Contribution

It offers new analytical expressions for key thermophysical properties of beryllium across a wide temperature range, including high-temperature extrapolations.

Findings

Compiled and analyzed experimental data for beryllium properties.

Provided analytical expressions for property temperature dependence.

Facilitated improved modeling of fusion-related plasma-surface interactions.

Abstract

The status of the literature is reviewed for thermophysical properties of pure polycrystalline solid and liquid beryllium which constitute input for the modelling of intense plasma-surface interaction phenomena that are important for fusion applications (thermal analysis, vapor shielding, melt motion, arcing, dust generation, dust transport). Reliable experimental data are analyzed for the latent heats, specific isobaric heat capacity, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, mass density, vapor pressure, work function, total hemispherical emissivity and absolute thermoelectric power from the room temperature up to the normal boiling point of beryllium as well as for the surface tension and the dynamic viscosity across the liquid state. Analytical expressions are recommended for the temperature dependence of these thermophysical properties, which involve high temperature extrapolations given the absence of extended liquid beryllium measurements.