Convection in the presence of a very strong magnetic field

Support: U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant CBET 1232851)

In this project, we explore the combined effect of a very strong magnetic field and very intense heating on flows of liquid metals. Our main goal is to understand the role of this effect in operation of blankets and diverters of future magnetic confinement fusion reactors (tokamaks). A promising concept is to use a blanket filled by a liquid metal, such as the PbLi alloy.

Results of our computer simulations show that thermal convection (generation of flow by buoyancy forces arising due to non-uniform heating) is one of the key factors determining operation of such a blanket. Some of the currently pursued designs may need to be reconsidered to avoid the high-amplitude fluctuations of temperature caused by convection. At the same time, convection may play a positive role in other designs, where it produces necessary degree of mixing and heat transfer.

An account of the results of the project can be found in our publications, such as:

• Liu, L., Zikanov, O. “Elevator mode convection in flows with strong magnetic fields,” Phys. Fluids, 27, 044103, 2015

• Smolentsev, S., Badia, S., Bhattacharyay, R., Bühler, L., Chen, L., Huang, Q., Jin, H-G., Krasnov, D., Lee, D-W., Mas de les Valls, E., Mistrangelo, C., Munipalli, R., Ni, M-J., Pashkevich, D., Patel, A., Pulugundla, G., Satyamurthy, P., Snegirev, A., Sviridov, V., Swain, P., Zhou, T., Zikanov, O. “An approach to verification and validation of MHD codes for fusion applications,” Fusion Eng. Des. in press, 2014

• Lv, X., Zikanov, O., “Mixed convection in horizontal duct flow with transverse magnetic field and heating of side wall,” Phys. Fluids 26, 097106, 2014

• Zhang, X., Zikanov, O., “Mixed convection in a horizontal duct with bottom heating and strong transverse magnetic field,” J. Fluid Mech. 757, 33-56, 2014

• Zikanov, O., Listratov, Ya., Sviridov, V. G. “Natural convection in horizontal pipe flow with strong transverse magnetic field,” J. Fluid Mech. 720, 486-516, 2013

• Li, Y., Zikanov, O. “Laminar pipe flow at the entrance into transverse magnetic field,” Fusion Eng. Des. 88, N4, 195-201, 2013

• Listratov, Ya., Ognerubov, D., Sviridov, E., Zikanov, O., Sviridov, V. “Direct numerical simulation of heat transfer and convection in MHD liquid metal flow in a pipe,” Magnetohydrodyn. 49, N1-2, 87-100, 2013

or in the presentation we did at the Nagi El Kaddah memorial symposium during the 2015 TMS annual meeting