Numerical research of magnetohydrodynamics buoyant flow in dual functional lead lithium fusion blanket

Abstract

Blanket is key component of fusion reactor, which functions as tritium breeder, energy conversion component and radiation shield. Liquid metal fusion blanket is a promising candidate of future fusion power plants for its high temperature operating characteristics and efficient thermoelectric conversion. However, motion of liquid metal under fusion reactor high magnetic field (∼4 T) causes serious magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) effect, and extreme non-uniform volumetric heat deposited by fusion neutrons produces strong buoyancy effect. Both effects greatly change flow field and heat transfer characteristics of liquid metal blanket, which are key issues for thermal-hydraulic design of liquid metal blankets. In this paper, MHD buoyant flow of Dual Functional Lead Lithium blanket (DFLL) under typical fusion magnetic field and non-uniform volumetric nuclear heating were studied. Buoyancy force induced drastic natural convection in LL1 (the 1st Lead Lithium channel) channel of blanket and increased the heat leaked to Helium coolant and reduced the outlet temperature. FCI (flow channel insert) material with heat conductivity <1W/m K was required to achieve high outlet temperature (700 K). Reversed direction of original flow in DFLL blanket would smooth the flow and reduce heat leakage of PbLi, which formed the idea of improvement. At the extreme condition of duct with steel wall, Lorentz force completely suppressed buoyancy. According to the founding above, we analyzed the MHD buoyant flow in an upside-down DFLL blanket and temperature distribution and heat leakage were significantly improved. This finding would be valuable for liquid blanket thermal hydraulic design.