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Title: First Studies for the Development of Computational Tools for the Design of Liquid Metal Electromagnetic Pumps

Journal Article · · Nuclear Engineering and Technology
 [1];  [2]
  1. Maidana Research, Grandville, MI (United States); Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Chiang Mai Univ. (Thailand). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  2. Maidana Research, Grandville, MI (United States); ; Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Dept. of Astronautical Engineering

Liquid alloy systems have a high degree of thermal conductivity, far superior to ordinary nonmetallic liquids and inherent high densities and electrical conductivities. This results in the use of these materials for specific heat conducting and dissipation applications for the nuclear and space sectors. Uniquely, they can be used to conduct heat and electricity between nonmetallic and metallic surfaces. The motion of liquid metals in strong magnetic fields generally induces electric currents, which, while interacting with the magnetic field, produce electromagnetic forces. Electromagnetic pumps exploit the fact that liquid metals are conducting fluids capable of carrying currents, which is a source of electromagnetic fields useful for pumping and diagnostics. The coupling between the electromagnetics and thermo-fluid mechanical phenomena and the determination of its geometry and electrical configuration, gives rise to complex engineering magnetohydrodynamics problems. The development of tools to model, characterize, design, and build liquid metal thermomagnetic systems for space, nuclear, and industrial applications are of primordial importance and represent a cross-cutting technology that can provide unique design and development capabilities as well as a better understanding of the physics behind the magneto-hydrodynamics of liquid metals. Here, first studies for the development of computational tools for the design of liquid metal electromagnetic pumps are discussed.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); Ulsan National Inst. of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Chiang Mai Univ. (Thailand)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0013992
OSTI ID:
1294694
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1425735
Journal Information:
Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol. 49 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 1738-5733
Publisher:
Korean Nuclear SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Korea, Republic of
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 8 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science