[1L01-08] Liquid Metal Engineering in Fusion Reactor

[1L05] Study on applicability of FeCrAl alloys for liquid metal components in fusion reactors

Mitigation of MHD pressure drop by self-healing oxide layer

*Ryunosuke Nishio¹, Masatoshi Kondo¹, Teruya Tanaka², Naoko Oono³ (1. Tokyo Tech, 2. NIFS, 3. Yokohama Natl. Univ. )

Keywords:Fusion reactor, Liquid metal blanket, MHD pressure drop, Magnetohydrodynamics, FeCrAl alloy, Oxide layer

Tritium breeder blankets of fusion reactors play important roles of energy collection, tritium breeding and neutron shielding. MHD pressure drop under magnetic field is one of the important issues to be addressed. FeCrAl alloys are candidates of structural materials for liquid metal components in fusion reactors. They can form α-Al₂O₃ layer in air at 1273K and LiAlO₂ layer in liquid LiPb environment. In present study, the mitigation method of MHD pressure drop by electrical insulation of α-Al₂O₃ and LiAlO₂ formed on FeCrAl alloys was studied. The results of theoretical calculation confirmed that the electrical insulation coating with a thickness of 1μm on inner surface of flow channel sufficiently reduced MHD pressure drop.