DESIGN AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF HIGH-THICKNESS WELD JOINTS IN FUSION REACTORS

DESIGN AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF HIGH-THICKNESS WELD JOINTS IN FUSION REACTORS

This study investigates the use of SYSWELD software to simulate high-thickness welding processes, with a focus on the design and analysis of vacuum vessel components for fusion reactors. Welding thick sections of stainless steel presents complex residual stresses and distortions that can compromise reactor performance. To address these challenges, a detailed simulation was carried out on a T-section with a butt joint configuration using 60 mm thick SS316L plates—materials typical of fusion-grade structures. The SYSWELD simulations provided insight into the residual stress distribution, revealing mild compressive stresses along the inner hoop surface and significant tensile stresses concentrated near the weld centerline, peaking at around 600 MPa. The results closely matched experimental observations, confirming the accuracy of the model. This work highlights the effectiveness of multipass welding techniques, including advanced methods, for effectively joining thick-walled components in fusion reactor applications.