A simple MHD model for coupling poloidal manifolds to breeder units in liquid metal blankets

Abstract

An efficient hybrid model has been developed for prediction of magnetohydrodynamic pressure drop in electrically couple manifolds of liquid metal blankets and flow partitioning in breeder units. The tool combines global mass conservation and pressure drop correlations with detailed 3D simulations. When applied to a TBM-like geometry, the model reveals strong electromagnetic coupling with increased flow in BUs is near both ends of the module, while weak coupling with almost no flow is found in BUs in the middle of the module. The method is very efficient and it applies for a large number of BUs as foreseen in a DEMO design. It will be applied in future to determine the optimum position of the baffle plates in manifolds that guarantees uniform flow partitioning in all breeder units.