Flow balancing in liquid metal blankets
- UCLA, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Nonuniform flow distribution between parallel channels is one of the most serious concerns for self-cooled liquid metal blankets with electrically-insulated walls. The authors show that uncertainties in flow distribution can be dramatically reduced by relatively simple design modifications. Several design features which impose uniform flow distribution by electrically coupling parallel channels are surveyed. Basic mechanisms for {open_quotes}flow balancing{close_quotes} are described, and a particular concept using localized passive electrodes is proposed for the U.S. ITER advanced blanket concept. Manifolding is required to distribute coolant throughout any reactor. In some designs, individual blanket modules include internal manifolding to distribute flow in parallel channels. In the current U.S. ITER design, individual modules consist of a single channel, but numerous modules are assembled in parallel. Regardless of the design details, the total pressure drop between manifolds has a single value, which the fluid experiences independent of its flow path. If different channels provide different flow resistances, then the bulk velocity will be different. Flow resistances can be affected by geometric effects, such as bends and changes in duct cross section, or by electrical effects, such as changes in the wall electrical resistance or magnetic field strength and orientation. In this paper, the authors examine several different techniques for flow balancing in liquid metal blankets. These include distributed coupling, localized coupling, and {open_quotes}natural coupling{close_quotes}. The attractiveness, or even feasibility, will depend on the reactor parameters, blanket design, and other factors.
- OSTI ID:
- 196887
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940664-; TRN: 95:005767-0056
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ISFNT-3: international symposium on fusion nuclear technology, Los Angeles, CA (United States), 27 Jun - 1 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Third international symposium on fusion nuclear technology; PB: 362 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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