Thermal analysis of new ITER FW and divertor design during VDE energy deposition

► We studied FW subjected to VDE heat fluxes with various steady-state conditions. ► We calculated melting and vaporization thickness of Be surface during VDE before TQ. ► We studied possible potential damage to PFC for VDEs with high energy loads. Further developments and investigations in the area of fusion energy devices require extensive and comprehensive computer simulations with great precision to evaluate reactor components behavior during normal and transient events. In this work we performed detailed study of the first wall (FW) subjected to high heat flux during a vertical displacement event (VDE) with various initial steady-state conditions and heat flux histories for the transient plasma energy deposition. We calculated the spatial temperature profile through out the entire module and the maximum surface temperature, as well as melting and vaporization thickness of Be surface during VDE and just before thermal quench (TQ). We further studied possible potential damage to plasma facing components (PFC) and structural materials for VDEs with higher energy loads than currently estimated.