Direct simulation of MHD flows in dual-coolant liquid metal fusion blanket using a consistent and conservative scheme

Direct simulation of 3-D MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) flows in liquid metal fusion blanket with flow channel insert (FCI) has been conducted. Two kinds of pressure equilibrium slot (PES) in FCI, which are used to balance the pressure difference between the inside and outside of FCI, are considered with a slot in Hartmann wall or a slot in side wall, respectively. The velocity and pressure distribution of FCI made of SiC/SiCf are numerically studied to illustrate the 3-D MHD flow effects, which clearly show that the flows in fusion blanket with FCI are typical three-dimensional issues and the assumption of 2-D fully developed flows is not the real physical problem of the MHD flows in dual-coolant liquid metal fusion blanket. The optimum opening location of PES has been analyzed based on the 3-D pressure and velocity distributions.