[2G01-06] Themal System

[2G04] Experimental study of MHD pressure drop reduction by electrical insulating α-Al₂O₃ layer in liquid LiPb breeder blanket systems

*Ryunosuke Nishio¹, Masatoshi Kondo¹ (1. Tokyo Tech)

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

Large MHD pressure drop is an important issue of liquid LiPb breeder blanket systems in magnetic confinement fusion reactors. FeCrAl alloys form α-Al₂O₃ layer and unalloyed zirconium forms ZrO₂ layer by oxidation treatments, and they can function as an electrical insulating layer to reduce the MHD pressure drop. The liquid metal flow apparatus was constructed to verify the reduction of MHD pressure drop by the electrical insulating oxide layers. Liquid PbBi alloy will flow in a circular tube at 200 ℃ under the magnetic field of 0.6 T (Ha = 43). The results of analytical calculation indicated that 57 % of MHD pressure drop is reduced when the tube inner wall is electrically insulated by the oxide layers.