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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Ming-Jiu Ni, Shi-Jing Xu, Zeng-Hui Wang, Nian-Mei Zhang
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 60 | Number 1 | July 2011 | Pages 292-297
In-Vessel Components - FW, Blanket, Shield & VV | Proceedings of the Nineteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE) (Part 1) | doi.org/10.13182/FST11-A12368
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A direct simulation of 3D liquid metal flow in the DCLL (Dual Coolant Lead Lithium) blanket is conducted to study the distribution of pressure and velocity influenced by different material properties of FCI (Flow Channel Insert). A consistent and conservative scheme and projection method on a collocated mesh (Ni et al., J Comp Phys 227 (2007)174-204 and 227 (2007) 205-228) are employed to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with the Lorentz force included based on an electrical potential formula. As an illustration, three blanket flows have been considered: liquid metal flow in a channel without FCI, with a silicon carbide FCI and with a FCI made of conductive material. It is shown that liquid metal flows in blanket with FCI are 3D developing flows. It is verified that: MHD pressure drop can be reduced by using silicon carbide FCI; PES (Pressure Equilibrium Slot) can balance the pressure difference between two sides of FCI near the slot but the pressure difference is still very large far away from PES; conductive FCI cannot reduce MHD pressure drop. Due to the leakage of current circuit across the slot, with PES opened at one side, a strong reversed velocity is observed in PES. The comparison of velocity distribution between numerical simulation and experiment from LEVI (Xu et al., ISFNT-9, 2009) is conducted. The difference shows that further experimental and numerical analysis is needed.