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The Critical Radius of Radioactive Liquid Droplets with Particular Application in Tritium Extraction

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Abstract

The Rayleigh density limit and its significance with regard to coalescence and growth of radiative bubbles is discussed. It is shown that taking into account the kind of radioactive decay, i.e. alpha or beta decay, the Rayleigh density limit results in a critical radius limit for the coalescence and growth of radiative bubbles. Because the size of bubbles is one of the most important parameters to be considered in transport and extraction technologies, the present study has important application for the computational modelling of tritium extraction from liquid Pb-16Li blankets for fusion reactor technologies.

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Fig. 1

Abbreviations

\(C_d\) :

Drag coefficient

\(e_e\) :

The energy of the most energetic electron

\(g\) :

Acceleration due to gravity

\({\mathbf{P }}_e\) :

Electrostatic pressure

\({\mathbf{P }}_m\) :

Mechanical pressure

\(Q_t\) :

Total positive electrical charge inside the liquid droplet

\(R\) :

Radius of the liquid droplet

\(R_{cr}\) :

Critical radius of the liquid droplet

\(t\) :

Time

\(V\) :

Electrical potential at the liquid–air interface

\(\varepsilon _o\) :

Electrical permittivity in vacuum

\(\rho\) :

Density of air

\(\rho _l\) :

Density of the liquid droplet

\(\sigma\) :

Surface tension

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, United Kingdom

    Francisco J. Arias & Geoffrey T. Parks

Authors
  1. Francisco J. Arias
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  2. Geoffrey T. Parks
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Correspondence to Francisco J. Arias.

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Arias, F.J., Parks, G.T. The Critical Radius of Radioactive Liquid Droplets with Particular Application in Tritium Extraction. J Fusion Energ 34, 1210–1212 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-9934-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-015-9934-3

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