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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.
K. W. Wong, L. Bures, K. Mikityuk
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 8 | August 2022 | Pages 1266-1278
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1971025
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Helium gases are utilized to remove fission products from the molten salt fast reactor (MSFR) core during operation. Helium gases and other volatile fission products may be introduced into the intermediate heat exchanger channels. The effect of these gases on heat transfer is essential for the MSFR to operate properly, especially in laminar flow regimes. The computational fluid dynamics code PSI-BOIL was selected to examine this problem because of its interface tracking capability. A periodic square duct simulation created the flow regime, resulting in a sliding bubble regime. Following that, we examined the impact of heat transfer using an extended nonperiodic channel simulation with a succession of corner bubble arrays. Due to the combined effects of low thermal diffusivity and laminar flow characteristics, it is shown that the length of heat transfer augmentation may extend to at least five bubble diameters downstream of the bubble placement. Finally, we examined the impact of interphasic heat transfer between an inert gas and a liquid. The bulk of the heat transfer amplification effect was due to the motion of the bubbles rather than interphasic heat transfer.