Hydro-thermo analysis of Li flow over IFMIF geometry

•Thermo-hydraulic analysis of free surface Li flow over IFMIF Geometry is performed.•Minimum safety margins for lowest velocity (10 m/s) and highest power at 30 C.•Location of maximum temperature different from location of maximum pressure.•Inlet turbulence significantly effects the Li temperature distribution.•The Li free surface smooth, the jet thickens to 26.5 mm at the center of the curvature.

A thermo-hydraulic analysis of high-speed free surface Li flow over a concave plate (IFMIF geometry) is performed. Simulations are done for bulk velocities between 10 and 20 m/s using ANSYS Fluent. A pre-computed heat source was imposed at the center of the curved section to simulate the interaction of a dual deuteron beam with the Li jet. LES and k-ϵ models were used for turbulence modeling and Volume of Fluid and Level Set methods were used to model the free surface flow. Results reported are the variation of temperature, pressure and velocities across the Li jet at various locations along the curved region. Safety margins before Li starts boiling are also predicted. All cases predicted smooth surfaces without any waves.