Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental Studies of MHD Pressure Drop of PbLi Flow in Rectangular Pipes Under Uniform Magnetic Field

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Journal of Fusion Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Liquid metal flow of blanket in fusion reactor would bear pressure drop caused by magnetic field. To investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop characteristics, experiments of PbLi flow in an electrically conducting rectangular pipe subjected to a transverse magnetic field were performed on loop DRAGON-IV. A measurement approach for differential pressure in high temperature liquid PbLi was adopted, and detailed data on pressure drop in PbLi MHD flow under various magnetic fields were measured. Electric potential method in the experimental pipe was adopted to measure the flow rate. The obtained experiment results for the MHD pressure drop were in good agreement with theory calculation. Through theoretical analysis, it has been found that the temperature of experimental pipe has a remarkable impact on MHD pressure drop. The change of temperature from 430 to 650 °C can lead to a decrease of MHD pressure drop by 10 %. Further experimental studies on the temperature effect on MHD pressure drop are needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Conceptual design activities of FDS series fusion power plant in China. Fusion Eng. Des. 81(23–24), 2713–2718 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. L. Qiu, Y. Wu, B. Xiao et al., A low aspect ratio tokamak transmutation system. Nucl. Fusion 40, 629–633 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Wu, J. Qian, J. Yu, The fusion-driven hybrid system and its material selection. J. Nucl. Mater. 307–311, 1629–1636 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Y. Wu, J. Jiang, M. Wang et al., A fusion-driven subcritical system concept based on viable technologies. Nucl. Fusion 51(10), 103036 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Conceptual design of the China fusion power plant FDS-II. Fusion Eng. Des. 83(10–12), 1683–1689 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Fusion-based hydrogen production reactor and its material selection. J. Nucl. Mater. 386–388, 122–126 (2009)

  7. T. Ihli, T.K. Basu, L.M. Giancarli, S. Konishi, S. Malang, F. Najmabadi et al., Review of blanket designs for advanced fusion reactors. Fusion Eng. Des. 83(7–9), 912–919 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. S. Malang, P. Leroy, G.P. Casini, F.F. Mattas, Y. Strebkov, Crucial issues on liquid metal blanket design. Fusion Eng. Des. 16, 95–109 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Design status and development strategy of China liquid lithium-lead blankets and related material technology. J. Nucl. Mater. 367–370b(B), 1410–1415 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Overview of liquid lithium lead breeder blanket program in China. Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 2343–2346 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Conceptual design and testing strategy of a dual functional lithium-lead test blanket module in ITER and EAST. Nucl. Fusion 47(11), 1533–1539 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. P. Norjitra, L. Bühler, U. Fischer, S. Gordeev, S. Malang, G. Reimann, Conceptual design of dual-coolant blanket in the frame of the EU power plant conceptual study. Fusion Eng. Des. 69, 669–673 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. G. Rampal, A. Li Puma, Y. Poitevin, E. Rigal, J. Szczepanski, C. Boudot, HCLL TBM for ITER-design studies. Fusion Eng. Des. 75–79, 917–922 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. C.P.C. Wong, J.F. Salavy, Y. Kim, I. Kirillov, E. Rajendra Kumar, N.B. Morley et al., Overview of liquid metal TBM concepts and programs. Fusion Eng. Des. 83(7–9), 850–857 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Y. Wu, FDS Team, Design analysis of the China dual-functional lithium lead (DFLL) test blanket module in ITER. Fusion Eng. Des. 82(2007), 15–24 (1893)

    Google Scholar 

  16. S. Smolentsev, R. Moreau et al., MHD thermofluid issues of liquid–metal blankets: phenomena and advances. Fusion Eng. Des. 85, 1196–1205 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. L. Bühler, S. Horanyi, E. Arbogast, Experimental investigation of liquid-metal flows through a sudden expansion at fusion-relevant Hartmann numbers. Fusion Eng. Des. 82(15–24), 2239–2245 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. C.B. Reed, B.F. Piclolglou, T.Q. Hua, J.S. Walker, ALEX results: a comparison of measurements from a round and a rectangular duct with 3D code predictions. 12th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, Monkey, CA, Oct 1987

  19. K. Starke, L. Bühler, S. Horanyi, Experimental MHD-flow analyses in a mock-up of a test blanket module for ITER. Fusion Eng. Des. 84(7–11), 1794–1798 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. L. Barleon, K.-J. Mack, R. Stieglitz, The MEKKA-facility a flexible tool to investigate MHD-flow phenomena, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Technik und Umwelt, FZKA 5821, Sept 1996

  21. K. Messadek, Status of DCLL MHD experiments and near future plans. US-ITER TBM meeting UCLA, 14–15 Feb 2007

  22. L. Bühler, C. Mistrangelo, C. Koehly, Layout of an experimental liquid–metal circuit based on MHD considerations. IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 40(3), 590–598 (2012)

  23. F.-C. Li, D. Sutevski, S. Smolentsev, M. Abdou, Experimental and numerical studies of pressure drop in PbLi flows in a circular duct under non-uniform transverse magnetic field. Fusion Eng. Des. 88, 3060–3071 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. S. Smolentsev, F.-C. Li, Y. Ueki, N. Morley, M. Abdou, T. Sketchley, Construction and initial operation of MHD PbLi facility at UCLA. Fusion Eng. Des. 88, 317–326 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. T. Kunugi, TTIAN task 1–3 flow control and thermofluid modeling. Accomplishments for 6th Year (FuY 2012) and summary of 6-year accomplishments

  26. H. Chen, T. Zhou, Z. Yang, R. Lü, Z. Zhu, M. Ni, Magnetohydrodynamic experimental design and program for Chinese liquid metal LiPb experimental loop DRAGON-IV. Fusion Eng. Des. 85, 1742–1746 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Z. Zhu, Q. Huang, S. Gao, Y. Song et al., Design analysis of DRAGON-IV LiPb loop. Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 2666–2669 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Y. Wu, Q. Huang, Z. Zhu, et al., R&D of Dragon series lithium lead loops for materials and blanket technology testing. Fusion Sci. Technol. 62(1), 272–275 (2012)

  29. I.R. Kirillov et al., Present understanding of MHD and heat-transfer phenomena for liquid–metal blankets. Fusion Eng. Des. 27, 553–569 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=139

  31. E. de les Mas Valls, L.A. Sedano et al., Lead-lithium eutectic material database for nuclear fusion technology. J. Nucl. Mater. 376, 353–357 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. T. Zhou, Z. Meng, H. Zhang et al., Code validation for the magnetohydrodynamic flow at high Hartmann number based on unstructured grid. Fusion Eng. Des. 88, 2885–2890 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. T. Zhou, H. Chen, Z. Yang, Effect of fringing magnetic field on magnetohydrodynamic flow in rectangular duct. Fusion Eng. Des. 86, 2352–2357 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. H. Chen, Y. Wu, S. Konishi et al., A high temperature blanket concept for hydrogen production. Fusion Eng. Des. 83, 903–911 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by ITER 973 Program under Grants Nos. 2013GB108005, 2014GB112002, and also by the National Natural Science Foundation of China with Grant No. 11205190. The authors would like to show their great appreciation to other members of FDS Team for its support and contribution to this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 350 Shushanhu Road, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, China

    Zi Meng, Zhiqiang Zhu & Muyi Ni

  2. University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, China

    Zi Meng & Jian He

Authors
  1. Zi Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhiqiang Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jian He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Muyi Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muyi Ni.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Meng, Z., Zhu, Z., He, J. et al. Experimental Studies of MHD Pressure Drop of PbLi Flow in Rectangular Pipes Under Uniform Magnetic Field. J Fusion Energ 34, 759–764 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-9848-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-9848-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation