Stability of the lithium 'waterfall' first wall protection concept for inertial confinement fusion reactors
Uncertainties regarding the feasibility of using an annular waterfall of liquid lithium to protect the first wall in inertial confinement fusion reactor cavities have prompted a theoretical investigation of annular jet stability. Infinitesimal perturbation techniques are applied to an idealized model of the jet with disturbances acting upon either or both of the free surfaces. Dispersion relations are derived that predict the range of disturbance frequencies leading to instability, as well as the perturbation growth rates and jet break-up length. The results are extended to turbulent annular jets and are evaluated for the lithium waterfall design. It is concluded that inherent instabilities due to turbulent fluctuations will not cause the jet to break up over distances comparable to the height of the reactor cavity.
- Research Organization:
- Wisconsin, University, Madison, Wis.
- OSTI ID:
- 5256239
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol./Fusion; (United States), Vol. 1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FIRST WALL
RADIATION PROTECTION
LASER FUSION REACTORS
BREEDING BLANKETS
CAVITIES
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
JETS
LAMINAR FLOW
LIQUIDS
LITHIUM
STABILITY
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TURBULENT FLOW
ALKALI METALS
CONFINEMENT
ELEMENTS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
METALS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
REACTOR COMPONENTS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
700208* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology
700201 - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Blanket Engineering