Design, Development and Testing of a Large Capacity Annular Linear Induction Pump

Electromagnetic Pumps have been used for pumping liquid sodium in auxiliary circuits such as fill and drain and purification circuits of sodium cooled fast breeder reactors. Despite their low efficiency these pumps are used in fast reactors because of their high reliability and low maintenance due to absence of moving parts. Besides, EM Pumps can be used for pumping impure sodium. IGCAR has developed electromagnetic pumps of various capacities and successfully used them in experimental facilities. This paper deals with the design, development and performance testing of a large electromagnetic pump called Annular Linear Induction Pump (ALIP). This 170 m3/h capacity ALIP is for use in PFBR Secondary Sodium Fill and Drain Circuit (SSFDC) and was introduced in the sodium circuit of SGTF for testing its performance. In this type of pump, a linearly traveling magnetic field is generated by means of circular windings placed spatially apart in slots and excited by 3-phase supply. This traveling field induces circulating currents in liquid sodium which generates secondary magnetic field. Interaction of primary magnetic field and secondary magnetic field produces pumping force on liquid sodium. The pump duct is made of SS316L. Pump winding is made up of copper with class H insulation. The pump is designed for 360 V and for a maximum sodium temperature of 450 °C. The pump is a reflux type of pump with both inlet and outlet on the same side. The pump was tested in the cold leg of Steam Generator Test Facility (SGTF) and its performance characteristics were obtained. The efficiency of the pump was also calculated and compared with the theoretical value. The successful testing and operation of the pump in SGTF has indicated sound design and indigenous manufacturing capability. This paper describes the design data of the pump and details of the testing carried out in IGCAR