Code development for analysis of MHD pressure drop reduction in a liquid metal blanket using insulation technique based on a fully developed flow model

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents details of a new numerical code for analysis of a fully developed MHD flow in a channel of a liquid metal blanket using various insulation techniques. The code has specially been designed for channels with a “sandwich” structure of several materials with different physical properties. The code includes a finite-volume formulation, automatically generated Hartmann number sensitive meshes, and effective convergence acceleration technique. Tests performed at Ha ∼ 10 4 have showed very good accuracy. As an illustration, two blanket flows have been considered: Pb–17Li flow in a channel with a silicon carbide flow channel insert, and Li flow in a channel with insulating coating.