Deflection of a liquid metal jet/drop in a tokamak environment

• We model steady flow of a liquid metal jet inside an electromagnetic field in the presence of inertia and capillary forces.
• Similar analysis is performed for the motion of a liquid metal spherical drop.
• The deflection of the trajectory is predicted as a function of the intensity of the externally imposed magnetic and electric fields.
• The analysis is used as a proof of principle study in reference to experimental observations of jet/drop deflection due to j→×B→ effects in the ISTTOK tokamak.
• We discuss the possibility of using liquid metal flows as an alternative approach toward enhancing power exhaust in tokamak facilities.

The interaction of a liquid gallium jet with plasma has been investigated in the ISTTOK tokamak. The jet was observed to remain intact during its interaction with plasma, within a certain length beyond which drop formation was observed. Significant deflection of the jet was detected as soon as plasma production was started. Furthermore, a strong dependency of the deflection magnitude on plasma position was observed that could be correlated with plasma potential gradients. As a means to capture and, possibly, quantify this effect, a preliminary magnetohydrodynamic analysis was performed in order to predict the trajectory of a jet that is traveling inside an electromagnetic field. The effect of Lorentz forces, gravity and pressure drop are accounted for in a unidirectional model that assumes a small jet radius in comparison with the trajectory length. The effect of external electric potential gradients on jet deflection was ascertained in conjunction with the importance of electric stresses in modulating the jet speed and radius. Analysis of the results reported in the ISTTOK experiments identifies the process of jet break-up as a capillary instability. The trajectory of the ensuing droplets is modeled and intensification of the deflection process is predicted in the presence of Lorentz forces.