Comments on the possibility of cavitation in liquid metal targets for pulsed spallation neutron sources

Conference · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:381054

Carpenter, J M ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

When short pulses of protons strike the volume of a liquid target, the rapid heating produces a pressurized region which relaxes as the pressure wave propagates outward. Skala and Bauer have modeled the effects of the pressure wave impinging on the container walls of a liquid mercury target under ESS conditions. They find that high pressures and high wall stresses result if the medium is uniform, nearly incompressible liquid. The pressure and the stresses are much reduced if the liquid contains bubbles of helium, due to their high compressibility. However, according to the calculation, the pressure still reaches an atmosphere or so at the surface, which reflects the compressive wave as a rarefaction wave of the same magnitude. Even such modest underpressures can lead to the growth of bubbles (cavitation) at or near the surface, which can collapse violently and erode the container surface. It is necessary to avoid this. Leighton provides a wide ranging discussion of pressure waves in bubbly media, which may provide insights into the nature and control of cavitation phenomena. The paper surveys some of the relevant information from that source.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• OSTI ID: 381054
• Report Number(s): CONF-9603171--; ON: DE96014047
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES
CAVITATION
ION BEAM TARGETS
LIQUID METALS
NEUTRON SOURCE FACILITIES
PROTON REACTIONS
PULSE TECHNIQUES
SHOCK WAVES