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Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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Latest News
Can hydrogen be the transportation fuel in an otherwise nuclear economy?
Let’s face it: The global economy should be powered primarily by nuclear power. And it probably will by the end of this century, with a still-significant assist from renewables and hydro. Once nuclear systems are dominant, the costs come down to where gas is now; and when carbon emissions are reduced to a small portion of their present state, it will become obvious that most other sources are only good in niche settings. I mean, why use small modular reactors to load-follow when they can just produce that power instead of buffering it?
L. Bühler
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 52 | Number 3 | October 2007 | Pages 595-602
Technical Paper | First Wall, Blanket, and Shield | doi.org/10.13182/FST07-A1553
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In a systematic parametric study 3D MHD flows in expansions of rectangular ducts with different expansion ratios, expansion lengths, and various wall conductivities are analyzed for fusion relevant parameters in order to establish a data base useful for the design of liquid metal blankets for fusion reactors. In currently considered helium-cooled liquid metal blankets the liquid metal velocities are very small so that inertia is often negligible in comparison with the electromagnetic forces. In the core of the flow the major balance of forces establishes between pressure and Lorentz forces while viscous forces are confined to very thin boundary layers along the duct walls. Near the expansion an intense exchange of flow between the upstream and downstream cores with the corresponding side layers is observed. At the expansion a large fraction of the flow is carried by these thin layers along the side walls. This effect becomes more pronounced with decreasing the length of the expansion region. The three-dimensional flow near the expansion gives rise to additional electric currents, which are responsible for higher pressure drop compared with fully developed conditions. This additional pressure drop and the flow partitioning between cores and side layers are investigated in detail depending on the relevant governing parameters.