Abstract
Magnetohydrodynamic pressure drops are one of the main issues for liquid metal blanket in fusion reactors. Minimize the fluid velocity at few millimeters per second is one strategy that can be employed to address the problem. For such low velocities, buoyant forces can effectively contribute to drive the flow and therefore must be considered in the blanket design. In order to do so, a CFD code able to represent magneto-convective phenomena is required. This work aims to gauge the capability of ANSYS© CFX-15 to solve such cases. The laminar flow in a differentially heated duct was selected as validation benchmark. A horizontal and uniform magnetic field was imposed over a square duct with a linear and constant temperature gradient perpendicular to the field. The fully developed flow was analyzed for Gr = 105 and Hartmann number (M) ranging from 102 to 103. Both insulating and conducting duct walls were considered. Strong dampening of the flow in the center of the duct was observed, whereas high velocity jets appeared close to the walls parallel to the magnetic field. The numerical results were validated against theoretical and numerical results founding an excellent agreement.
Highlights
Liquid metals are often considered as the working fluid for tokamak fusion reactors thanks to their excellent thermo-hydraulics and tritium breeding properties
Since 2009, a MHD module has been available as an add-on of the main code and this paper aims to assess the capability of ANSYS© CFX-15 to reproduce the phenomena of magneto-convection
The Hartmann wall potential is zero and the potential in the core region is constant in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field
Summary
Liquid metals are often considered as the working fluid for tokamak fusion reactors thanks to their excellent thermo-hydraulics and tritium breeding properties. In order to reduce the MHD contribution to the pressure drops, the molten metal can be employed exclusively as a tritium breeder, whereas the role of coolant for the blanket and the first wall is assumed by a non-conductive fluid, usually water or helium. In this configuration, the liquid metal velocity is reduced to a few millimeters per second and the MHD pressure drops are greatly limited.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
