Structure of liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor with loops and steady vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costes, D.

1990-01-01

This structure comprises, in a vessel containing liquid metal, a nuclear core steadied on an alimentation diagrid and external loops comprising heat exchanger and reinjection pump of sodium in the diagrid. The vessel has the bottom resting on the concrete surround with a thermal stratification of the sodium between the bottom and the diagrid. This disposition has for advantage to allow a vertical connection of the sodium reinjection channel. This channel is contained in a metal sheath with a sliding leak tightness [fr

Oscillatory vapour shielding of liquid metal walls in nuclear fusion devices.

Science.gov (United States)

van Eden, G G; Kvon, V; van de Sanden, M C M; Morgan, T W

2017-08-04

Providing an efficacious plasma facing surface between the extreme plasma heat exhaust and the structural materials of nuclear fusion devices is a major challenge on the road to electricity production by fusion power plants. The performance of solid plasma facing surfaces may become critically reduced over time due to progressing damage accumulation. Liquid metals, however, are now gaining interest in solving the challenge of extreme heat flux hitting the reactor walls. A key advantage of liquid metals is the use of vapour shielding to reduce the plasma exhaust. Here we demonstrate that this phenomenon is oscillatory by nature. The dynamics of a Sn vapour cloud are investigated by exposing liquid Sn targets to H and He plasmas at heat fluxes greater than 5 MW m -2 . The observations indicate the presence of a dynamic equilibrium between the plasma and liquid target ruled by recombinatory processes in the plasma, leading to an approximately stable surface temperature.Vapour shielding is one of the interesting mechanisms for reducing the heat load to plasma facing components in fusion reactors. Here the authors report on the observation of a dynamic equilibrium between the plasma and the divertor liquid Sn surface leading to an overall stable surface temperature.

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durston, J.G.

1976-01-01

It is stated that in a liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactor wherein the core, intermediate heat exchangers and liquid metal pumps are immersed in a pool of coolant such as Na, the intermediate heat exchangers are suspended from the roof, and ducting is provided in the form of a core tank or shroud interconnected with 'pods' housing the intermediate exchangers for directing coolant from the core over the heat exchanger tubes and thence back to the main pool of liquid metal. Seals are provided between the intermediate heat exchanger shells and the walls of their 'pods' to prevent liquid metal flow by-passing the heat exchanger tube bundles. As the heat exchangers must be withdrawable for servicing, and because linear differential thermal expansion of the heat exchanger and its 'pod' must be accommodated the seals hitherto have been of the sliding kind, generally known as 'piston ring type seals'. These present several disadvantages; for example sealing is not absolute, and the metal to metal seal gives rise to wear and fretting by rubbing and vibration. This could lead to seizure or jamming by the deposition of impurities in the coolant. Another difficulty arises in the need to accommodate lateral thermal expansion of the ducting, including the core tank and 'pods'. Hitherto some expansion has been allowed for by the use of expansible bellow pairs in the interconnections, or alternatively by allowing local deformations of the core tank 'pods'. Such bellows must be very flexible and hence constitute a weak section of the ducting, and local deformations give rise to high stress levels that could lead to premature failure. The arrangement described seeks to overcome these difficulties by use of a gas pocket trapping means to effect a seal against vertical liquid flow between the heat exchanger shell and the wall of the heat exchanger housing. Full details of the arrangement are described. (U.K.)

The effect of a micro bubble dispersed gas phase on hydrogen isotope transport in liquid metals under nuclear irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradera, J., E-mail: jfradera@ubu.es; Cuesta-López, S., E-mail: scuesta@ubu.es

2013-12-15

The present work intend to be a first step towards the understanding and quantification of the hydrogen isotope complex phenomena in liquid metals for nuclear technology. Liquid metals under nuclear irradiation in, e.g., breeding blankets of a nuclear fusion reactor would generate tritium which is to be extracted and recirculated as fuel. At the same time that tritium is bred, helium is also generated and may precipitate in the form of nano bubbles. Other liquid metal systems of a nuclear reactor involve hydrogen isotope absorption processes, e.g., tritium extraction system. Hence, hydrogen isotope absorption into gas bubbles modelling and control may have a capital importance regarding design, operation and safety. Here general models for hydrogen isotopes transport in liquid metal and absorption into gas phase, that do not depend on the mass transfer limiting regime, are exposed and implemented in OpenFOAM® CFD tool for 0D–3D simulations. Results for a 0D case show the impact of a He dispersed phase of nano bubbles on hydrogen isotopes inventory at different temperatures as well as the inventory evolution during a He nucleation event. In addition, 1D and 2D axisymmetric cases are exposed showing the effect of a He dispersed gas phase on hydrogen isotope permeation through a lithium lead eutectic alloy and the effect of vortical structures on hydrogen isotope transport at a backward facing step. Exposed results give a valuable insight on current nuclear technology regarding the importance of controlling hydrogen isotope transport and its interactions with nucleation event through gas absorption processes.

Liquid metal heat transfer issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, H.W.; Yoder, G.L.

1984-01-01

An alkali liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor coupled with an alkali metal Rankine cycle provides a practicable option for space systems/missions requiring power in the 1 to 100 MW(e) range. Thermal issues relative to the use of alkali liquid metals for this purpose are identified as these result from the nature of the alkali metal fluid itself, from uncertainties in the available heat transfer correlations, and from design and performance requirements for system components operating in the earth orbital microgravity environment. It is noted that, while these issues require further attention to achieve optimum system performance, none are of such magnitude as to invalidate this particular space power concept

Liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, D.

1981-01-01

An improved method of constructing the diagrid used to support fuel assemblies of liquid metal fast breeder reactors, is described. The functions of fuel assembly support and coolant plenum are performed by discrete components of the diagrid each of which can serve the function of the other in the event of failure of one of the components. (U.K.)

Vessel supporting structure for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahe, Armel; Jullien, Georges

1974-01-01

The supporting structure described is for a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor, the vessel being of the type suspended to the end slab of the reactor. It includes a ring connected at one of its two ends to a single shell and at the other end to two shells. One of these three shells connected to the lower end of the ring forms the upper part of the vessel to be supported. The two other shells are embedded in two sperate parts of the slab. The ring and shell assembly is housed in an annular space provided in the end slab and separating it into two parts, namely a central part and a peripheral part [fr

Properties of structural materials in liquid metal environment. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borgstedt, H U [ed.

1991-12-15

The International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) Specialists Meeting on Properties of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment was held during June 18 to June 20, 1991, at the Nuclear Research Centre (Kernforschungszentrum) in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Specialists Meeting was divided into five technical sessions which addressed topics as follows: Creep-Rupture Behaviour of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; Behaviour of Materials in Liquid Metal Environments under Off-Normal Conditions;Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; Crack Propagation in Liquid Sodium; and Conclusions and recommendations. Individual papers have been cataloged separately.

Emergency cooling system for a liquid metal cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Ryoichi; Fujiwara, Toshikatsu.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To suitably cool liquid metal as coolant in emergency in a liquid metal cooled reactor by providing a detector for the pressure loss of the liquid metal passing through a cooling device in a loop in which the liquid metal is flowed and communicating the detector with a coolant flow regulator. Constitution: A nuclear reactor is stopped in nuclear reaction by control element or the like in emergency. If decay heat is continuously generated for a while and secondary coolant is insufficiently cooled with water or steam flowed through a steam and water loop, a cooler is started. That is, low temperature air is supplied by a blower through an inlet damper to the cooler to cool the secondary coolant flowed into the cooler through a bypass pipe so as to finally safely stop an entire plant. Since the liquid metal is altered in its physical properties by the temperature at this time, it is detected to regulate the opening of the valve of the damper according to the detected value. (Sekiya, K.)

Experimental testing facilities for ultrasonic measurements in heavy liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cojocaru, V.; Ionescu, V.; Nicolescu, D.; Nitu, A.

2016-01-01

The thermo-physical properties of Heavy Liquid Metals (HLM), like lead or its alloy, Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE), makes them attractive as coolant candidates in advanced nuclear systems. The opaqueness, that is common to all liquid metals, disables all optical methods. For this reason ultrasound waves are used in different applications in heavy liquid metal technology, for example for flow and velocity measurements and for inspection techniques. The practical use of ultrasound in heavy liquid metals still needs to be demonstrated by experiments. This goal requires heavy liquid metal technology facility especially adapted to this task. In this paper is presented an experimental testing facility for investigations of Heavy Liquid Metals acoustic properties, designed and constructed in RATEN ICN. (authors)

Liquid metal level measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hale, J.C.; Leyland, K.S.

1982-01-01

A liquid metal level indicator is described which can be used to measure, in a stainless steel tank, the level of a nuclear reactor coolant such as sodium. The instrument, which is based on the eddy current induction effect, gives readings over substantially the full depth of the tank and indicates the sense of change of level. (U.K.)

Ionic liquids used in extraction and separation of metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Xinghai; Xu Chao; Liu Xinqi; Chu Taiwei

2006-01-01

Ionic liquids as green solvents now have become a research hotspot in the field of separation of metal ions by solvent extraction. Experimental results of extraction of various metal ions with ionic liquids as solvents, including that of alkali metals, alkaline earths, transition metals rare earths and actinides are introduced. The extraction of uranium, plutonium and fission products that are involved in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing is also reviewed. The possible extraction mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the prospect of replacement of volatile and/or toxic organic solvents with environmentally benign ionic liquids for solvent extraction and the potency of applications of ionic liquids in solvent extraction are also commented. (authors)

Progress of liquid metal technology and application in energy industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Keiji; Kamei, Mitsuru; Nei, Hiromichi.

1990-01-01

Liquid metals are excellent energy transport media, and recently remarkable development has been observed in the technology of handling sodium and the machinery and equipment. In nuclear fusion, the development of the use of lithium as the coolant is advanced. For space technology, attention has been paid from the early stage to various liquid metals. For general industries, liquid metals have been used for high temperature heat pipes and the utilization of solar heat, and mercury vapor turbines were manufactured for trial. Besides, attention is paid anew to liquid metal MHD electric power generation. The development of the NaS batteries for electric cars and electric power storage and the interchange of liquid metal technology with the fields of iron and steel, metallurgy and so on advance. It is expected that liquid metal technology bears future advanced energy engineering while deepening the interchange with other advanced fields also in order to reactivate atomic energy technology. Liquid metals have the features of high electric and thermal conductivities, chemical activity and opaque property as metals, and fluidity and relatively high boiling point and melting point as liquids. FBRs, fusion reactors and the power sources for space use are described. (K.I.)

Liquid metal flow control by DC electromagnetic pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, Eduardo Madeira; Braz Filho, Francisco Antonio; Guimaraes, Lamartine Nogueira Frutuoso

2006-01-01

The cooling system of high-density thermal power requires fluids of high thermal conductivity, such as liquid metals. Electromagnetic pumps can be used to liquid metal fluid flow control in cooling circuits. The operation of electromagnetic pumps used to flow control is based on Lorentz force. This force can be achieved by magnetic field and electric current interaction, controlled by external independent power supplies. This work presents the electromagnetic pump operational principles, the IEAv development scheme and the BEMC-1 simulation code. The theoretical results of BEMC-1 simulation are compared to electromagnetic pump operation experimental data, validating the BEMC-1 code. This code is used to evaluate the DC electromagnetic pump performance applied to Mercury flow control and others liquid metal such as Sodium, Lead and Bismuth, used in nuclear fast reactors. (author)

Surface studies of liquid metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastasz, Robert

2003-01-01

Liquid metals and alloys have been proposed for use in nuclear fusion reactors to serve as replaceable plasma-facing surfaces that remove particles and heat from reacting plasmas. Several materials are being considered for this purpose including lithium, gallium, and tin as well as some of the alloys made from these elements. In order to better understand the properties of liquid surfaces, the technique of low-energy ion scattering was used to examine the surface composition of several of these materials in vacuum as a function of temperature. Oxygen is found to rapidly segregate to the surface of several metallic liquids. The segregation process can be interpreted using a simple thermodynamic model based on Gibbs theory. In the case of an alloy of Sn and Li, Li also segregates to the liquid surface. This provides a means to produce a surface enriched in Li, which is more plasma compatible than Sn, without the need to handle large quantities of liquid Li. (author)

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gatley, J.A.

1979-01-01

Breeder fuel sub-assemblies with electromagnetic brakes and fluidic valves for liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors are described. The electromagnetic brakes are of relatively small proportions and the valves are of the controlled vortex type. The outlet coolant temperature of at least some of the breeder sub-assemblies are maintained by these means substantially constant throughout the life of the fuel assembly without severely pressurising the sub-assembly. (UK)

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thatcher, G.; Mitchell, A.J.

1981-01-01

Fuel sub-assemblies for liquid metal-cooled fast breeder reactors are described which each incorporate a fluid flow control valve for regulating the rate of flow through the sub-assembly. These small electro-magnetic valves seek to maintain the outlet coolant temperature of at least some of the breeder sub-assemblies substantially constant throughout the life of the fuel assembly without severely pressurising the sub-assembly. (U.K.)

Liquid metal cold trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hundal, R.

1976-01-01

A cold trap assembly for removing impurities from a liquid metal is described. A hole between the incoming impure liquid metal and purified outgoing liquid metal acts as a continuous bleed means and thus prevents the accumulation of cover gases within the cold trap assembly

Liquid Metal Transformers

OpenAIRE

Sheng, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Jing

2014-01-01

The room temperature liquid metal is quickly emerging as an important functional material in a variety of areas like chip cooling, 3D printing or printed electronics etc. With diverse capabilities in electrical, thermal and flowing behaviors, such fluid owns many intriguing properties that had never been anticipated before. Here, we show a group of unconventional phenomena occurring on the liquid metal objects. Through applying electrical field on the liquid metals immersed in water, a series...

Liquid-metal dip seal with pneumatic spring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poindexter, A.M.

1977-01-01

An improved liquid-metal dip seal for sealing the annulus between rotating plugs in the reactor vessel head of a liquid-metal fast-breeder nuclear reactor has two legs of differing widths communicating under a seal blade; the wide leg is also in communication with cover gas of the reactor and the narrow leg is also in communication with an isolated plug annulus above the seal. The annulus contains inert gas which acts as a pneumatic spring. Upon increasing cover gas pressure which depresses the level in the wide leg and greatly increases the level in the narrow leg, the pneumatic spring is compressed, and resists further level changes, thus preventing radioactive cover gas from bubbling through the seal

Jacking mechanism for upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillett, J.E.; Wineman, A.L.

1983-01-01

A jacking mechanism for raising the upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor which jacking mechanism uses a system of gears and drive shafts to transmit force from a single motor to four mechanically synchronized ball jacks to raise and lower support columns which support the upper internals structure. The support columns each have a pin which rides in a slot in a housing fixed to the reactor head. The pin has two locking plates which can be rotated around the pin to bring the locking plates into engagement with the housing in a raised or a lowered position of the support column such that the support column is then supported by the locking plate and not by the ball screw jacks. (author)

Liquid metal steam generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolowodiuk, W.

1975-01-01

A liquid metal heated steam generator is described which in the event of a tube failure quickly exhausts out of the steam generator the products of the reaction between the water and the liquid metal. The steam is generated in a plurality of bayonet tubes which are heated by liquid metal flowing over them between an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The inner cylinder extends above the level of liquid metal but below the main tube sheet. A central pipe extends down into the inner cylinder with a centrifugal separator between it and the inner cylinder at its lower end and an involute deflector plate above the separator so that the products of a reaction between the liquid metal and the water will be deflected downwardly by the deflector plate and through the separator so that the liquid metal will flow outwardly and away from the central pipe through which the steam and gaseous reaction products are exhausted. (U.S.)

A low cost liquid metal reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, W.H.; Anderson, C.A.; Mangus, J.D.

1984-01-01

A new, compact Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) plant arrangement designed by Westinghouse, featuring factory-fabricated modules and an integrated fuel cycle facility, has made it possible to project a commercially competitive LMR plant for the near future. This innovative liquid metal-cooled plant design will allow a combination of capital, fuel, operation and maintenance costs that could be lower than today's fossil-fueled or light water reactor plant costs, and incorporate features which enhance public safety even beyond current high standards. Following early core loadings, the plant feeds only on depleted uranium. No shipment of fuel is required. And the plant can be tailored to produce enough plutonium to meet its need or to provide fuel for other nuclear plants

Liquid metal purification device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Takao; Shimoyashiki, Shigehiro.

1992-01-01

The device of the present invention concerns a liquid metal purification device for removing and purifying impuries in liquid metal sodium used as coolants of an FBR type reactor. A vessel having a group of pipes made of hydrogen permeable metal at the inside thereof is disposed to the inlet pipeline of a cold trap. The group of hydrogen permeable metal pipes is connected to an exhaust pipe and a vacuum pump, so that the inside of the pipes is exhausted. Liquid metal sodium branched from the main pipeline of a coolant system passes through the outer side of the group of the hydrogen permeable metal pipes. In this cae, hydrogen contained as impurities in the liquid metal sodium diffuses and permeates the hydrogen permeation metal pipes and enters into the pipe group and is discharged out of the system by the vacuum pump. This can mitigate the hydrogen removing burden of the cold trap, to extend the device life time. (I.N.)

First Studies for the Development of Computational Tools for the Design of Liquid Metal Electromagnetic Pumps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos O. Maidana

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Liquid alloy systems have a high degree of thermal conductivity, far superior to ordinary nonmetallic liquids and inherent high densities and electrical conductivities. This results in the use of these materials for specific heat conducting and dissipation applications for the nuclear and space sectors. Uniquely, they can be used to conduct heat and electricity between nonmetallic and metallic surfaces. The motion of liquid metals in strong magnetic fields generally induces electric currents, which, while interacting with the magnetic field, produce electromagnetic forces. Electromagnetic pumps exploit the fact that liquid metals are conducting fluids capable of carrying currents, which is a source of electromagnetic fields useful for pumping and diagnostics. The coupling between the electromagnetics and thermo-fluid mechanical phenomena and the determination of its geometry and electrical configuration, gives rise to complex engineering magnetohydrodynamics problems. The development of tools to model, characterize, design, and build liquid metal thermo-magnetic systems for space, nuclear, and industrial applications are of primordial importance and represent a cross-cutting technology that can provide unique design and development capabilities as well as a better understanding of the physics behind the magneto-hydrodynamics of liquid metals. First studies for the development of computational tools for the design of liquid metal electromagnetic pumps are discussed.

First studies for the development of computational tools for the design of liquid metal electromagnetic pumps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maidana, Carlos O.; Nieminen, Juha E. [Maidana Research, Grandville (United States)

2017-02-15

Liquid alloy systems have a high degree of thermal conductivity, far superior to ordinary nonmetallic liquids and inherent high densities and electrical conductivities. This results in the use of these materials for specific heat conducting and dissipation applications for the nuclear and space sectors. Uniquely, they can be used to conduct heat and electricity between nonmetallic and metallic surfaces. The motion of liquid metals in strong magnetic fields generally induces electric currents, which, while interacting with the magnetic field, produce electromagnetic forces. Electromagnetic pumps exploit the fact that liquid metals are conducting fluids capable of carrying currents, which is a source of electromagnetic fields useful for pumping and diagnostics. The coupling between the electromagnetics and thermo-fluid mechanical phenomena and the determination of its geometry and electrical configuration, gives rise to complex engineering magnetohydrodynamics problems. The development of tools to model, characterize, design, and build liquid metal thermo-magnetic systems for space, nuclear, and industrial applications are of primordial importance and represent a cross-cutting technology that can provide unique design and development capabilities as well as a better understanding of the physics behind the magneto-hydrodynamics of liquid metals. First studies for the development of computational tools for the design of liquid metal electromagnetic pumps are discussed.

Development of Korea advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, C.K.

1998-01-01

Future nuclear power plants should not only have the features of improved safety and economic competitiveness but also provide a means to resolve spent fuel storage problems by minimizing volume of high level wastes. It is widely believed that liquid metal reactors (LMRs) have the highest potential of meeting these requirements. In this context, the LMR development program was launched as a national long-term R and D program in 1992, with a target to introduce a commercial LMR around 2030. Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), a 150 MWe pool-type sodium cooled prototype reactor, is currently under the conceptual design study with the target schedule to complete its construction by the mid-2010s. This paper summarizes the KALIMER development program and major technical features of the reactor system. (author)

The chemistry of the liquid alkali metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Addison, C.C.

1984-01-01

A study of liquid alkali metals. It encourages comparison with molecular solvents in chapter covering the nature and reactivity of dissolved species, solvation, solubility and electrical conductivity of solutions. It demonstrates lab techniques unique to liquid alkali metals. It discusses large-scale applications from storage batteries to sodium-cooled reactors and future fusion reactors, and associated technological problems. Contents: Some Basic Physical and Chemical Properties; Manipulation of the Liquids; The Chemistry of Purification Methods; Species Formed by Dissolved Elements; Solubilities and Analytical Methods; Alkali Metal Mixtures; Solvation in Liquid Metal; Reactions Between Liquid Alkali Metals and Water; Reactions of Nitrogen with Lithium and the Group II Metals in Liquid Sodium; The Formation, Dissociation and Stability of Heteronuclear Polyatomic Anions; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals and Their Alloys with Simple Alipatic Hydrocarbons; Reactions of the Liquid Alkali Metals with Some Halogen Compounds; Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon Meters; Surface Chemistry and Wetting; Corrosion of Transition Metals by the Liquid Alkali Metals; Modern Applications of the Liquid Alkali Metals

Performance and safety design of the advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berglund, R.C.; Magee, P.M.; Boardman, C.E.; Gyorey, G.L.

1991-01-01

The Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) program led by General Electric is developing, under U.S. Department of Energy sponsorship, a conceptual design for an advanced sodium-cooled liquid metal reactor plant. This design is intended to improve the already excellent level of plant safety achieved by the nuclear power industry while at the same time providing significant reductions in plant construction and operating costs. In this paper, the plant design and performance are reviewed, with emphasis on the ALMR's unique passive design safety features and its capability to utilize as fuel the actinides in LWR spent fuel

Liquid metal monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldwell-Nichols, C.J.; Roach, P.F.

1982-01-01

A liquid metal monitor of the by-pass plugging meter kind described in British Patent 1,308,466, is further provided with a pump arranged to oppose flow through a by-pass thereby to provide a constant pressure difference across an orifice and improve the sensitivity of the instrument. The monitor estimates the impurity content in a liquid metal stream. (author)

Actively convected liquid metal divertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Michiya; Hirooka, Yoshi

2014-01-01

The use of actively convected liquid metals with j × B force is proposed to facilitate heat handling by the divertor, a challenging issue associated with magnetic fusion experiments such as ITER. This issue will be aggravated even more for DEMO and power reactors because the divertor heat load will be significantly higher and yet the use of copper would not be allowed as the heat sink material. Instead, reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel alloys with heat conductivities substantially lower than that of copper, will be used as the structural materials. The present proposal is to fill the lower part of the vacuum vessel with liquid metals with relatively low melting points and low chemical activities including Ga and Sn. The divertor modules, equipped with electrodes and cooling tubes, are immersed in the liquid metal. The electrode, placed in the middle of the liquid metal, can be biased positively or negatively with respect to the module. The j × B force due to the current between the electrode and the module provides a rotating motion for the liquid metal around the electrodes. The rise in liquid temperature at the separatrix hit point can be maintained at acceptable levels from the operation point of view. As the rotation speed increases, the current in the liquid metal is expected to decrease due to the v × B electromotive force. This rotating motion in the poloidal plane will reduce the divertor heat load significantly. Another important benefit of the convected liquid metal divertor is the fast recovery from unmitigated disruptions. Also, the liquid metal divertor concept eliminates the erosion problem. (letter)

Mechanisms of liquid-metal embrittlement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popovich, V.V.

1979-01-01

The mechanism of the embrittlement of metals and alloys during deformation in contact with liquid metals are discussed. With 20Kh13 steel in a Pb-Sn melt and polycrystalline Al in the presence of various mercury solutions a.s examples, considered are the three main processes - adsorption, corrosion (dissolution), formation of new phases which cause the disintegration of materials under the action of liquid-metallic media. Presented are data on plastic ductile and strength properties of the above materials in the presence of liquid-metallic media. A model is described that takes into account the effect of the medium upon the plastic deformation and the part the medium plays in liquid-metallic embrittlement

Review of liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, R.S.; Merrigan, M.A.; Sena, J.T.

1990-01-01

A survey of space-power related liquid metal heat pipe work at Los Alamos National Laboratory is presented. Heat pipe development at Los Alamos has been on-going since 1963. Heat pipes were initially developed for thermionic nuclear-electrical power production in space. Since then Los Alamos has developed liquid metal heat pipes for numerous applications related to high temperature systems in both the space and terrestrial environments. Some of these applications include thermionic electrical generators, thermoelectric energy conversion (both in-core and direct radiation), thermal energy storage, hypersonic vehicle leading edge cooling, and heat pipe vapor laser cells. Some of the work performed at Los Alamos has been documented in internal reports that are often little-known. A representative description and summary of progress in space-related liquid metal heat pipe technology is provided followed by a reference section citing sources where these works may be found. 53 refs

Application of liquid metals for the extraction of solid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.

1996-01-01

Liquid metals dissolve several solid metals in considerable amounts at moderate temperatures. The dissolution processes may be based upon simple physical solubility, formation of intermetallic phases. Even chemical reactions are often observed in which non-metallic elements might be involved. Thus, the capacity to dissolve metals and chemical properties of the liquid metals play a role in these processes. Besides the solubility also chemical properties and thermochemical data are of importance. The dissolution of metals in liquid metals can be applied to separate the solutes from other metals or non-metallic phases. Relatively noble metals can be chemically reduced by the liquid phases. Such solution processes can be applied in the extractive metallurgy, for instance to extract metals from metallic waste. The recycling of metals is of high economical and ecological importance. Examples of possible processes are discussed. (author)

Vapor trap for liquid metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, T

1968-05-22

In a pipe system which transfers liquid metal, inert gas (cover gas) is packed above the surface of the liquid metal to prevent oxidization of the liquid. If the metal vapor is contained in such cover gas, the circulating system of the cover gas is blocked due to condensation of liquid metal inside the system. The present invention relates to an improvement in vapor trap to remove the metal vapor from the cover gas. The trap consists of a cylindrical outer body, an inlet nozzle which is deeply inserted inside the outer body and has a number of holes to inject the cove gas into the body, metal mesh or steel wool which covers the exterior of the nozzle and on which the condensation of the metal gas takes place, and a heater wire hich is wound around the nozzle to prevent condensation of the metal vapor at the inner peripheral side of the mesh.

Rapid-action valve especially for liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velek, V.; Cejka, J.; Jakl, J.

1976-01-01

A rapid-action large-diameter valve and control fitting was designed for cooling circuits of nuclear power plants with fast liquid metal cooled reactors, namely sodium cooled. The design meets the requirements for axial symmetry about the flow axis and secures the equilibrium of hydraulic and hydrodynamic forces observing the uniformity of the thickness of the fitting walls which is a pre-requisite for good resistance to thermal shock. (F.M.)

Liquid metal Flow Meter - Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, C.; Hoogendoom, S.; Hudson, B.; Prince, J.; Teichert, K.; Wood, J.; Chase, K.

2007-01-30

Measuring the flow of liquid metal presents serious challenges. Current commercially-available flow meters use ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and other technologies to measure flow, but are inadequate for liquid metal flow measurement because of the high temperatures required by most liquid metals. As a result of the reactivity and high temperatures of most liquid metals, corrosion and leakage become very serious safety concerns. The purpose of this project is to develop a flow meter for Lockheed Martin that measures the flow rate of molten metal in a conduit.

Interfacial transport phenomena and stability in liquid-metal/water systems: scaling considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdulla, S.; Liu, X.; Anderson, M.; Bonazza, R.; Corradini, M.; Cho, D.

2001-01-01

One concept being considered for steam generation in innovative nuclear reactor applications, involves water coming into direct contact with a circulating molten metal. The vigorous agitation of the two fluids, the direct liquid-liquid contact and the consequent large interfacial area give rise to very high heat transfer coefficients and rapid steam generation. For an optimum design of such direct contact heat exchange and vaporization systems, detailed knowledge is necessary of the various flow regimes, interfacial transport phenomena, heat transfer and operational stability. In this paper we describe current results from the first year of this research that studies the transport phenomena involved with the injection of water into molten metals (e.g., lead alloys). In particular, this work discusses scaling considerations related to direct contact heat exchange, our experimental plans for investigation and a test plan for the important experimental parameters; i.e., the water and liquid metal mass flow rates, the liquid metal pool temperature and the ambient pressure of the direct contact heat exchanger. Past experimental work and initial scaling results suggest that our experiments can directly represent the proper liquid metal pool temperature and the water subcooling. The experimental variation in water and liquid metal flow rates and system pressure (1-10 bar), although smaller than the current conceptual system designs, is sufficient to verify the expected scale effects to demonstrate the phenomena. (authors)

Liquid metal thermal-hydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottowski-Duemenil, H.M.

1994-01-01

This textbook is a report of the 26 years activity of the Liquid Metal Boiling Working Group (LMBWG). It summarizes the state of the art of liquid metal thermo-hydraulics achieved through the collaboration of scientists concerned with the development of the Fast Breeder Reactor. The first chapter entitled ''Liquid Metal Boiling Behaviour'', presents the background and boiling mechanisms. This section gives the reader a brief but thorough survey on the superheat phenomena in liquid metals. The second chapter of the text, ''A Review of Single and Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drop Studies and Application to Flow Stability Analysis of Boiling Liquid Metal Systems'' summarizes the difficulty of pressure drop simulation of boiling sodium in core bundles. The third chapter ''Liquid Metal Dry-Out Data for Flow in Tubes and Bundles'' describes the conditions of critical heat flux which limits the coolability of the reactor core. The fourth chapter dealing with the LMFBR specific topic of ''Natural Convection Cooling of Liquid Metal Systems''. This chapter gives a review of both plant experiments and out-of-pile experiments and shows the advances in the development of computing power over the past decade of mathematical modelling ''Subassembly Blockages Suties'' are discussed in chapter five. Chapter six is entitled ''A Review of the Methods and Codes Available for the Calculation on Thermal-Hydraulics in Rod-Cluster and other Geometries, Steady state and Transient Boiling Flow Regimes, and the Validation achieves''. Codes available for the calculation of thermal-hydraulics in rod-clusters and other geometries are reviewed. Chapter seven, ''Comparative Studies of Thermohydraulic Computer Code Simulations of Sodium Boiling under Loss of Flow Conditions'', represents one of the key activities of the LMBWG. Several benchmark exercises were performed with the aim of transient sodium boiling simulation in single channels and bundle blockages under steady state conditions and loss of

The thermophysical properties of metallic liquids

CERN Document Server

Iida, Takamichi

2015-01-01

The main purpose of materials science and engineering is to make the best use of all the elements in the periodic table. This leads to the effective use and conservation of natural resources. For this purpose, in any liquid metallic processing operation, accurate data for the thermophysical properties of all metallic liquids (i.e. liquid metals, semimetals, and semiconductors) is needed. However, in addition, a clear understanding of the essence of their thermophysical properties, based on these data, is indispensable. The second volume continues from the first volume to provide explanations for the thermophysical properties of metallic liquids. The two volumes identify new dimensionless parameters, extracted from the velocity of sound. In spite of being simple parameters, they provide useful information on the nature and behaviour of metallic liquids. This volume covers several basic concepts needed to understand the thermophysical properties of metallic liquids and for developing reliable models to accurate...

Liquid metal cooling of synchrotron optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smither, R.K.

1993-01-01

The installation of insertion devices at existing synchrotron facilities around the world has stimulated the development of new ways to cool the optical elements in the associated x-ray beamlines. Argonne has been a leader in the development of liquid metal cooling for high heat load x-ray optics for the next generation of synchrotron facilities. The high thermal conductivity, high volume specific heat, low kinematic viscosity, and large working temperature range make liquid metals a very efficient heat transfer fluid. A wide range of liquid metals were considered in the initial phase of this work. The most promising liquid metal cooling fluid identified to date is liquid gallium, which appears to have all the desired properties and the fewest number of undesired features of the liquid metals examined. Besides the special features of liquid metals that make them good heat transfer fluids, the very low vapor pressure over a large working temperature range make liquid gallium an ideal cooling fluid for use in a high vacuum environment. A leak of the liquid gallium into the high vacuum and even into very high vacuum areas will not result in any detectable vapor pressure and may even improve the vacuum environment as the liquid gallium combines with any water vapor or oxygen present in the system. The practical use of a liquid metal for cooling silicon crystals and other high heat load applications depends on having a convenient and efficient delivery system. The requirements for a typical cooling system for a silicon crystal used in a monochromator are pumping speeds of 2 to 5 gpm (120 cc per sec to 600 cc per sec) at pressures up to 100 psi. No liquid metal pump with these capabilities was available commercially when this project was started, so it was necessary to develop a suitable pump in house

Fabrication of the shafts of the liquid metal pumps for the Creys-Malville nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasqualini, G.; Lefebvre, B.; Archer, J.; Gravier, M.

1982-01-01

This report is a synthesis of the considerations with regard to the project work and the work executes in the field of metallurgy, which have made it possible to manufacture the shafts of primary and secondary pumps intended for the Creys-Malville nuclear power station. In the first part of this report attention is drawn to the most important items of this equipment with regard to the performance specifications. These specifications are the expression of the experiences made in France in the industrial manufacture of pumps for liquid metals for this type of application Rapsodie (1967) and Phenix (1974). In the second part of the report on hand, in particular the technical aspects of the welding operations with regard to the use of the chosen material (austenitic corrosion resisting steel Z 15 CNW 22-12, maual TIG welding, the type of steel of the filler metal being the same as the parent metal) will be discussed. Finally, a testified comment on the most important steps of the manufacture of these shafts in the works at Jeumont will be described. (orig.) [de

Chemistry and physics at liquid alkali metal/solid metal interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barker, M.G.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the chemistry of processes which take place at the interface between liquid alkali metals and solid metal surfaces. A brief review of wetting data for liquid sodium is given and the significance of critical wetting temperatures discussed on the basis of an oxide-film reduction mechanism. The reactions of metal oxides with liquid metals are outlined and a correlation with wetting data established. The transfer of dissolved species from the liquid metal across the interface to form solid phases on the solid metal surface is well recognised. The principal features of such processes are described and a simple thermodynamic explanation is outlined. The reverse process, the removal of solid material into solution, is also considered. (author)

Heat transfer on liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, T.; Saito, Yasushi; Mishima, Kaichiro

2001-01-01

Molten-core pool had been formed in the lower-head of TMI-2 pressure vessel at the severe accident. The lower head, however, didn't receive any damage by reactor core cooling. Heat transfer at outside of the lower head and boiling heat transfer at liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water, however, are important for initial cooling process of the molten-core pool. The heat transfer experiments for the liquid-liquid interface of molten-metal and water are carried out over the range of natural convection to film boiling region. Phenomenon on the heat transfer experiments are visualized by using of high speed video camera. Wood's metal and U-alloy 78 are used as molten-metal. The test section of the experiments consists of a copper block with heater, wood's metal, and water. Three thermocouple probes are used for temperature measurement of water side and the molten-metal side. Stability of the liquid-liquid interface is depended on the wetness of container wall for molten metal and the temperature distribution of the interface. Entrainment phenomena of molten-metal occurs by a fluctuation of the interface after boiling on the container wall surface. The boiling curves obtained from the liquid-liquid interface experiments are agree with the nucleate boiling and the film boiling correlations of solid-liquid system. (Suetake, M.)

FLIT: Flowing LIquid metal Torus

Science.gov (United States)

Kolemen, Egemen; Majeski, Richard; Maingi, Rajesh; Hvasta, Michael

2017-10-01

The design and construction of FLIT, Flowing LIquid Torus, at PPPL is presented. FLIT focuses on a liquid metal divertor system suitable for implementation and testing in present-day fusion systems, such as NSTX-U. It is designed as a proof-of-concept fast-flowing liquid metal divertor that can handle heat flux of 10 MW/m2 without an additional cooling system. The 72 cm wide by 107 cm tall torus system consisting of 12 rectangular coils that give 1 Tesla magnetic field in the center and it can operate for greater than 10 seconds at this field. Initially, 30 gallons Galinstan (Ga-In-Sn) will be recirculated using 6 jxB pumps and flow velocities of up to 10 m/s will be achieved on the fully annular divertor plate. FLIT is designed as a flexible machine that will allow experimental testing of various liquid metal injection techniques, study of flow instabilities, and their control in order to prove the feasibility of liquid metal divertor concept for fusion reactors. FLIT: Flowing LIquid metal Torus. This work is supported by the US DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Metal extraction by solid-liquid agglomerates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, E.F.

1980-01-01

Dissolved metal values are extracted from a liquid e.g. uranium from phosphoric acid by contacting the liquid with agglomerates for a time to load the agglomerate with the metal value, separating the loaded agglomerates from the liquid phase and stripping the metal value from the loaded agglomerate. The agglomerate may be made by combining finely divided solid particles with a binding liquid to form a paste, adding a suspending liquid to form a mixture, the suspending liquid and binding liquid being immiscible in each other and the solid particles being insoluble in the suspending liquid and shearing the mixture to form the agglomerate. (author)

Delayed neutrons in liquid metal spallation targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridikas, D.; Bokov, P.; David, J.C.; Dore, D.; Giacri, M.L.; Van Lauwe, A.; Plukiene, R.; Plukis, A.; Ignatiev, S.; Pankratov, D.

2003-01-01

) spallation target at PSI (Switzerland), where CEA Saclay is already involved in the development of neutron flux detectors, namely microscopic fission chambers. In addition, in this context other potential applications are: Spallation Neutron Source (USA), European Spallation Source (EU), hybrid reactors for nuclear waste transmutation, EURISOL Radioactive Ion Beam facility (EU), all of them based on liquid metal target technologies. The above scientific project involves 3 countries, namely France, Lithuania and Russia, and is realized in the frame of the ECO-NET program, financed in part by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (authors)

Liquid metals: fundamentals and applications in chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Daeneke, T; Khoshmanesh, K; Mahmood, N; de Castro, I A; Esrafilzadeh, D; Barrow, S J; Dickey, M D; Kalantar-Zadeh, K

2018-04-03

Post-transition elements, together with zinc-group metals and their alloys belong to an emerging class of materials with fascinating characteristics originating from their simultaneous metallic and liquid natures. These metals and alloys are characterised by having low melting points (i.e. between room temperature and 300 °C), making their liquid state accessible to practical applications in various fields of physical chemistry and synthesis. These materials can offer extraordinary capabilities in the synthesis of new materials, catalysis and can also enable novel applications including microfluidics, flexible electronics and drug delivery. However, surprisingly liquid metals have been somewhat neglected by the wider research community. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals underlying liquid metal research, including liquid metal synthesis, surface functionalisation and liquid metal enabled chemistry. Furthermore, we discuss phenomena that warrant further investigations in relevant fields and outline how liquid metals can contribute to exciting future applications.

Liquid-solid extraction of cationic metals by cationic amphiphiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, W.

2010-01-01

In the field of selective separation for recycling of spent nuclear fuel, liquid-liquid extraction processes are widely used (PUREX, DIAMEX..) in industrial scale. In order to guarantee a sustainable nuclear energy for the forthcoming generations, alternative reprocessing techniques are under development. One of them bases on the studies from Heckmann et al in the 80's and consists in selectively precipitating actinides from aqueous waste solutions by cationic surfactants (liquid-solid extraction). This technique has some interesting advantages over liquid-liquid extraction techniques, because several steps are omitted like stripping or solvent washing. Moreover, the amount of waste is decreased considerably, since no contaminated organic solvent is produced. In this thesis, we have carried out a physico-chemical study to understand the specific interactions between the metallic cations with the cationic surfactant. First, we have analysed the specific effect of the different counter-ions (Cl - , NO 3 - , C 2 O 4 2- ) and then the effect of alkaline cations on the structural properties of the surfactant aggregation in varying thermodynamical conditions. Finally, different multivalent cations (Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , UO 2 2+ , Fe 3+ , Nd 3+ , Eu 3+ , Th 4+ ) were considered; we have concluded that depending on the anionic complex of these metals formed in acidic media, we can observe either an adsorption at the micellar interface or not. This adsorption has a large influence of the surfactant aggregation properties and determines the limits of the application in term of ionic strength, temperature and surfactant concentration. (author) [fr

Pair potentials in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faber, T.E.

1980-01-01

The argument which justifies the use of a pair potential to describe the structure-dependent term in the energy of liquid metals is briefly reviewed. Because there is an additional term in the energy which depends upon volume rather than structure, and because the pair potential itself is volume-dependent, the relationship between pair potential and observable properties such as pressure, bulk modulus and pair distribution function is more complicated for liquid metals than it is for molecular liquids. Perhaps for this reason, the agreement between pair potentials inferred from observable properties and pair potentials calculated by means of pseudo-potential theory is still far from complete. The pair potential concept is applicable only to simple liquid metals, in which the electron-ion interaction is weak. No attempt is made to discuss liquid transition and rare-earth metals, which are not simple in this sense. (author)

Potential of multi-purpose liquid metallic fuelled fast reactor (MPFR) as a hydrogen production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, H.; Ninokata, H.; Netchaev, A.; Sawada, T.

2001-01-01

Nuclear energy is the only effective alternative energy source to fossil fuels in the next century. Therefore future nuclear power plants should satisfy the following three requirements: i) multiple energy conversion capability with high temperature not only for electricity generation but also for hydrogen production, ii) extended siting capability so as to eliminate on-site refuelling, and iii) passive safety features. An aim of this paper is to describe the basic concept of the multi-purpose liquid metallic fuelled fast reactor system (MPFR). The MPFR introduces the U-Pu-X (X: Mn, Fe, Co) liquid metallic alloy with Ta and Ta/TaC structural materials, and satisfies all of the conditions listed above based on the following characteristics of the liquid metallic fuel: high temperature operation between 650 deg C (sodium-cooled system) and 1 200 deg C (lead-cooled system), a core lifetime of 15-30 years without radiation damage of fuel materials, and enhanced passive safety by the thermal expansion of liquid fuel and the avoidance of re-criticality due to local core fuel dispersion at fuel failure events. (authors)

Liquid metal pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennell, W.E.

1981-01-01

A liquid metal pump comprising a shaft support structure which is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft carries an impeller and the support structure carries an impeller cage which is slidably disposed in a diffuser so as to allow complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair. The diffuser is concentrically supported in the pump housing which also takes up all reaction forces generated by the discharge of the liquid metal from the diffuser, with floating seals arranged between impeller cage and the diffuser. The space between the diffuser and the pump housing permits the incoming liquid to essentially surround the diffuser. (author)

Technique for detecting liquid metal leaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauerle, J.E.

1979-01-01

In a system employing flowing liquid metal as a heat transfer medium in contact with tubular members containing a working fluid, i.e., steam, liquid metal leaks through the wall of the tubular member are detected by dislodging the liquid metal compounds forming in the tubular member at the leak locations and subsequently transporting the dislodged compound in the form of an aerosol to a detector responsive to the liquid metal compound. In the application to a sodium cooled tubular member, the detector would consist of a sodium responsive device, such as a sodium ion detector

Archive-cup insert for liquid-metal sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, P.A.; Kolba, V.M.; Filewicz, E.C.; Holmes, J.T.

1975-01-01

An insert for collecting liquid-metal samples within a vertical casing including an elongated housing with an upper and a lower overflow seal of annular shape is described. The lower seal includes a centrally located pedestal on which a sample cup is disposed. Liquid metal enters the annulus of the upper seal and overflows into the cup which fills and overflows into the lower seal. Liquid-metal overflow from the lower seal is discharged from the insert. On cooling, the liquid metal trapped within the seals solidifies to hermetically isolate the metal sample within the cup. The device is particularly applicable for use with sampling systems on liquid metal-cooled reactors. (U.S.)

Metal corrosion in a supercritical carbon dioxide - liquid sodium power cycle.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, Robert Charles; Conboy, Thomas M.

2012-02-01

A liquid sodium cooled fast reactor coupled to a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton power cycle is a promising combination for the next generation nuclear power production process. For optimum efficiency, a microchannel heat exchanger, constructed by diffusion bonding, can be used for heat transfer from the liquid sodium reactor coolant to the supercritical carbon dioxide. In this work, we have reviewed the literature on corrosion of metals in liquid sodium and carbon dioxide. The main conclusions are (1) pure, dry CO{sub 2} is virtually inert but can be highly corrosive in the presence of even ppm concentrations of water, (2) carburization and decarburization are very significant mechanism for corrosion in liquid sodium especially at high temperature and the mechanism is not well understood, and (3) very little information could be located on corrosion of diffusion bonded metals. Significantly more research is needed in all of these areas.

Compact, Lightweight Electromagnetic Pump for Liquid Metal

Science.gov (United States)

Godfroy, Thomas; Palzin, Kurt

2010-01-01

A proposed direct-current electromagnetic pump for circulating a molten alkali metal alloy would be smaller and lighter and would demand less input power, relative to currently available pumps of this type. (Molten alkali metals are used as heat-transfer fluids in high-temperature stages of some nuclear reactors.) The principle of operation of this or any such pump involves exploitation of the electrical conductivity of the molten metal: An electric current is made to pass through the liquid metal along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow channel, and a magnetic field perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis and the electric current is superimposed on the flowchannel region containing the electric current. The interaction between the electric current and the magnetic field produces the pumping force along the longitudinal axis. The advantages of the proposed pump over other such pumps would accrue from design features that address overlapping thermal and magnetic issues.

European liquid metal thermal-hydraulics R and D: present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roelofs, F.; Batta, A.; Bandini, G.; Van Tichelen, K.; Gerschenfeld, A.; Cheng, X.

2014-01-01

A large role is attributed in the future within the European Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNE-TP) and especially the underlying European Sustainable Nuclear Industry Initiative (ESNII) to the application of fast reactors for sustainable nuclear energy production. Specifically, fast reactors are considered attractive because of their possibility to use natural resources efficiently and to reduce the volume and lifetime of nuclear waste. Currently four demonstration projects have a promising outlook in Europe, i.e. the ASTRID project in France, the MYRRHA project in Belgium, the ALFRED project developed in Europe and to be built in Romania, and the ELECTRA project in Sweden. Sodium and lead(-alloys) are envisaged as coolants for these reactors. Obviously, in the development of these reactors, thermal-hydraulics is recognized as a key challenge with emphasis on safety issues. This paper will discuss the present development status of liquid metal cooled reactor thermal-hydraulics as an outcome of the European 7. framework programme THINS (Thermal-Hydraulics for Innovative Nuclear Systems) project. The main project results with respect to liquid metal cooled reactors will be summarized, i.e. turbulence heat transfer model development, fuel assembly analysis, pool thermal-hydraulics, system behaviour, multi-phase physics, and multiscale thermal-hydraulics simulation. In conclusion, the main challenges for future developments will be indicated. Emphasis will be put on the important experimental and numerical challenges. (authors)

Specificity in liquid metal induced embrittlement

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fernandes, PJL

1996-12-01

Full Text Available One of the most intriguing features of liquid metal induced embrittlement (LMIE) is the observation that some liquid metal-solid metal couples are susceptible to embrittlement, while others appear to be immune. This is referred to as the specificity...

Forces in Liquid Metal Contacts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duggen, Lars; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan

2014-01-01

Using rather well known theory about capillary bridges between two electrodes we calculate the tensile force that can be applied to liquid metal contacts in the micrometer regime. Assuming circular symmetry, full wetting of the electrodes, and neglecting gravity, we present a brief review of the ...... of the necessary theory and find numerically the forces to be in the 100μN range for liquid metals as mercury and liquid Gallium suspended between electrodes of 20μm radius.......Using rather well known theory about capillary bridges between two electrodes we calculate the tensile force that can be applied to liquid metal contacts in the micrometer regime. Assuming circular symmetry, full wetting of the electrodes, and neglecting gravity, we present a brief review...

CONTAIN LMR/1B-Mod.1, A computer code for containment analysis of accidents in liquid-metal-cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, K.K.; Carroll, D.E.; Bergeron, K.D.; Valdez, G.D.

1993-01-01

The CONTAIN computer code is a best-estimate, integrated analysis tool for predicting the physical, chemical, and radiological conditions inside a nuclear reactor containment building following the release of core material from the primary system. CONTAIN is supported primarily by the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), and the official code versions produced with this support are intended primarily for the analysis of light water reactors (LWR). The present manual describes CONTAIN LMR/1B-Mod. 1, a code version designed for the analysis of reactors with liquid metal coolant. It is a variant of the official CONTAIN 1.11 LWR code version. Some of the features of CONTAIN-LMR for treating the behavior of liquid metal coolant are in fact present in the LWR code versions but are discussed here rather than in the User's Manual for the LWR versions. These features include models for sodium pool and spray fires. In addition to these models, new or substantially improved models have been installed in CONTAIN-LMR. The latter include models for treating two condensables (sodium and water) simultaneously, sodium atmosphere and pool chemistry, sodium condensation on aerosols, heat transfer from core-debris beds and to sodium pools, and sodium-concrete interactions. A detailed description of each of the above models is given, along with the code input requirements

Liquid Metal Engineering and Technology. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

These proceedings of the fourth international conference on liquid metal engineering and technology volume 1, are devided into 3 sections bearing on: - Apparatus and components for liquid metal (29 papers) - Liquid metal leaks, fires and fumes (10 papers) - Cleaning, decontamination, waste disposal (14 papers) [fr

Liquid metal pump

Science.gov (United States)

Pennell, William E.

1982-01-01

The liquid metal pump comprises floating seal rings and attachment of the pump diffuser to the pump bowl for isolating structural deflections from the pump shaft bearings. The seal rings also eliminate precision machining on large assemblies by eliminating the need for a close tolerance fit between the mounting surfaces of the pump and the seals. The liquid metal pump also comprises a shaft support structure that is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft support structure also allows for complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair.

Liquid metal pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennell, W.E.

1982-01-01

The liquid metal pump comprises floating seal rings and attachment of the pump diffuser to the pump bowl for isolating structural deflections from the pump shaft bearings. The seal rings also eliminate precision machining on large assemblies by eliminating the need for a close tolerance fit between the mounting surfaces of the pump and the seals. The liquid metal pump also comprises a shaft support structure that is isolated from the pump housing for better preservation of alignment of shaft bearings. The shaft support structure also allows for complete removal of pump internals for inspection and repair

Multiple lead seal assembly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutter, E.; Pardini, J.A.

1977-01-01

A reusable multiple lead seal assembly provides leak-free passage of stainless-steel-clad instrument leads through the cover on the primary tank of a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. The seal isolates radioactive argon cover gas and sodium vapor within the primary tank from the exterior atmosphere and permits reuse of the assembly and the stainless-steel-clad instrument leads. Leads are placed in flutes in a seal body, and a seal shell is then placed around the seal body. Circumferential channels in the body and inner surface of the shell are contiguous and together form a conduit which intersects each of the flutes, placing them in communication with a port through the wall of the seal shell. Liquid silicone rubber sealant is injected into the flutes through the port and conduit; the sealant fills the space in the flutes not occupied by the leads themselves and dries to a rubbery hardness. A nut, threaded onto a portion of the seal body not covered by the seal shell, jacks the body out of the shell and shears the sealant without damage to the body, shell, or leads. The leads may then be removed from the body. The sheared sealant is cleaned from the body, leads, and shell and the assembly may then be reused with the same or different leads. 3 claims, 6 figures

Liquid metal blanket module testing and design for ITER/TIBER II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattas, R.F.; Cha, Y.; Finn, P.A.; Majumdar, S.; Picologlou, B.; Stevens, H.; Turner, L.

1988-05-01

A major goal for ITER is the testing of nuclear components to demonstrate the integrated performance of the most attractive concepts that can lead to a commercial fusion reactor. As part of the ITER/TIBER II study, the test program and design of test models were examined for a number of blanket concepts. The work at Argonne National Laboratory focused on self-cooled liquid metal blankets. A test program for liquid metal blankets was developed based upon the ITER/TIBER II operating schedule and the specific data needs to resolve the key issues for liquid metals. Testing can begin early in reactor operation with liquid metal MHD tests to confirm predictive capability. Combined heat transfer/MHD tests can be performed during initial plasma operation. After acceptable heat transfer performance is verified, tests to determine the integrated high temperature performance in a neutron environment can begin. During the high availability phase operation, long term performance and reliability tests will be performed. It is envisioned that a companion test program will be conducted outside ITER to determine behavior under severe accident conditions and upper performance limits. A detailed design of a liquid metal test module and auxiliary equipment was also developed. The module followed the design of the TPSS blanket. Detailed analysis of the heat transfer and tritium systems were performed, and the overall layout of the systems was determined. In general, the blanket module appears to be capable of addressing most of the testing needs. 8 refs., 27 figs., 11 tabs

Liquid Metallic Hydrogen: A Building Block for the Liquid Sun

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Liquid metallic hydrogen provides a compelling material for constructing a condensed matter model of the Sun and the photosphere. Like diamond, metallic hydrogen might have the potential to be a metastable substance requiring high pressures for forma- tion. Once created, it would remain stable even at lower pressures. The metallic form of hydrogen was initially conceived in 1935 by Eugene Wigner and Hillard B. Huntington who indirectly anticipated its elevated critical temperature for liquefaction (Wigner E. and Huntington H.B. On the possibility of a metallic modification of hydro- gen. J. Chem. Phys. , 1935, v.3, 764–770. At that time, solid metallic hydrogen was hypothesized to exist as a body centered cubic, although a more energetically accessible layered graphite-like lattice was also envisioned. Relative to solar emission, this struc- tural resemblance between graphite and layered metallic hydrogen should not be easily dismissed. In the laboratory, metallic hydrogen remains an elusive material. However, given the extensive observational evidence for a condensed Sun composed primarily of hydrogen, it is appropriate to consider metallic hydrogen as a solar building block. It is anticipated that solar liquid metallic hydrogen should possess at least some layered order. Since layered liquid metallic hydrogen would be essentially incompressible, its invocation as a solar constituent brings into question much of current stellar physics. The central proof of a liquid state remains the thermal spectrum of the Sun itself. Its proper understanding brings together all the great forces which shaped modern physics. Although other proofs exist for a liquid photosphere, our focus remains solidly on the generation of this light.

Liquid metals fire control engineering handbook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballif, J.L.

1979-02-01

This handbook reviews the basic requirements of the use of liquid metals with emphasis on sodium which has the greatest current usage. It delineates the concepts necessary to design facilities both radioactive and nonradioactive for use with liquid metals. It further reviews the state-of-the-art in fire extinguishers and leak detection equipment and comments on their application and sensitivity. It also provides details on some engineering features of value to the designer of liquid metal facilities

Liquid metal corrosion considerations in alloy development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tortorelli, P.F.; DeVan, J.H.

1984-01-01

Liquid metal corrosion can be an important consideration in developing alloys for fusion and fast breeder reactors and other applications. Because of the many different forms of liquid metal corrosion (dissolution, alloying, carbon transfer, etc.), alloy optimization based on corrosion resistance depends on a number of factors such as the application temperatures, the particular liquid metal, and the level and nature of impurities in the liquid and solid metals. The present paper reviews the various forms of corrosion by lithium, lead, and sodium and indicates how such corrosion reactions can influence the alloy development process

Liquid metal targets for high-power applications : pulsed heating and shock hydrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.

2000-01-01

Significant interest has recently focused on the use of liquid-metal targets flowing with high velocities for various high-power nuclear and high-energy physics applications such as fusion reactor first-walls, the Spallation Neutron Source, Isotope Separation On Line, and Muon Collider projects. This is because the heat generated in solid targets due to beam or plasma bombardment cannot be removed easily and the resulting thermal shock damage could be a serious lifetime problem for long-term operation. More recently, the use of free or open flying-liquid jets has been proposed for higher-power-density applications. The behavior of a free-moving liquid mercury or gallium jet subjected to proton beam deposition in a strong magnetic field has been modeled and analyzed for the Muon Collider project. Free-liquid-metal jets can offer significant advantages over conventional solid targets, particularly for the more demanding and challenging high-power applications. However, the use of free-moving liquid-metal targets raises a number of new and challenging problems such as instabilities of the jet in a strong magnetic field, induced eddy-current effects on jet shape, thermal-shock formation, and possible jet fragmentation. Problems associated with shock heating of liquid jets in a strong magnetic field are analyzed in this study

Task-specific ionic liquids for solubilizing metal compounds

OpenAIRE

Thijs, Ben

2007-01-01

The main goal of this PhD thesis was to design new task-specific ionic liquids with the ability to dissolve metal compounds. Despite the large quantity of papers published on ionic liquids, not much is known about the mechanisms of dissolving metals in ionic liquids or about metal-containing ionic liquids. Additionally, many of the commercially available ionic liquids exhibit a very limited solubilizing power for metal compounds, although this is for many applications like electrodeposition a...

Liquid metal cooled divertor for ARIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muraviev, E.

1995-01-01

A liquid metal, Ga-cooled divertor design was completed for the double null ARIES-II divertor design. The design analysis indicated a surface heat flux removal capability of up to 15 MW/m 2 , and its relative easy maintenance. Design issues of configuration, thermal hydraulics, thermal stresses, liquid metal loop and safety effects were evaluated. For coolant flow control, it was found that it is necessary to use some part of the blanket cooling ducts for the draining of liquid metal from the top divertor. In order to minimize the inventory of Ga, it was recommended that the liquid metal loop equipment should be located as close to the torus as possible. More detailed analysis of transient conditions especially under accident conditions was identified as an issue that will need to be addressed

Exploring liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) concepts-Liquid metal film flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narula, M.; Abdou, M.A.; Ying, A.; Morley, N.B.; Ni, M.; Miraghaie, R.; Burris, J.

2006-01-01

The use of fast moving liquid metal streams or 'liquid walls' as a plasma contact surface is a very attractive option and has been looked upon with considerable interest over the past several years, both by the plasma physics and fusion engineering programs. Flowing liquid walls provide an ever replenishing contact surface to the plasma, leading to very effective particle pumping and surface heat flux removal. A key feasibility issue for flowing liquid metal plasma facing component (PFC) systems, pertains to their magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) behavior under the spatially varying magnetic field environment, typical of a fusion device. MHD forces hinder the development of a smooth and controllable liquid metal flow needed for PFC applications. The present study builds up on the ongoing research effort at UCLA, directed towards providing qualitative and quantitative data on liquid metal free surface flow behavior under fusion relevant magnetic fields

Properties of structural materials in liquid metal environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.

1991-12-01

The proceedings contain 16 contributions to the following topics: 1. Creep-Rupture Behaviour of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; 2. Behaviour of Materials in Liquid Metal Environment under Off-Normal Conditions; 3. Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue of Structural Materials in Liquid Metal Environment; and 4. Crack Propagation in Liquid Sodium. (MM)

Liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic convertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aladiev, I.T.; Dzhamardzhashvili, V.A.

1981-01-01

This invention relates to the generation of electrical energy by direct conversion from thermal or electrical energy and notably to liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic convertors. The convertor described in this invention can be successfully used as a source of electrical energy for space vessels, for underwater vessels, for aeronautics and for the generation of electrical energy in thermal or atomic power plants. This liquid metal convertor consists of a heat source, a two phase nozzle, a separator, a steam diffuser and a condenser. These elements are connected together hydraulically in series. The condenser is connected hydraulically to a heat source, a liquid diffuser and a magnetohydrodynamic generator. These elements are interconnected hydraulically to the separator and heat source [fr

Passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors with backup coolant flow path

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunsbedt, A.; Boardman, C.E.

1993-01-01

A dual passive cooling system for liquid metal cooled nuclear fission reactors is described, comprising the combination of: a reactor vessel for containing a pool of liquid metal coolant with a core of heat generating fissionable fuel substantially submerged therein, a side wall of the reactor vessel forming an innermost first partition; a containment vessel substantially surrounding the reactor vessel in spaced apart relation having a side wall forming a second partition; a first baffle cylinder substantially encircling the containment vessel in spaced apart relation having an encircling wall forming a third partition; a guard vessel substantially surrounding the containment vessel and first baffle cylinder in spaced apart relation having a side wall forming a forth partition; a sliding seal at the top of the guard vessel edge to isolate the dual cooling system air streams; a second baffle cylinder substantially encircling the guard vessel in spaced part relationship having an encircling wan forming a fifth partition; a concrete silo substantially surrounding the guard vessel and the second baffle cylinder in spaced apart relation providing a sixth partition; a first fluid coolant circulating flow course open to the ambient atmosphere for circulating air coolant comprising at lent one down comer duct having an opening to the atmosphere in an upper area thereof and making fluid communication with the space between the guard vessel and the first baffle cylinder and at least one riser duct having an opening to the atmosphere in the upper area thereof and making fluid communication with the space between the first baffle cylinder and the containment vessel whereby cooling fluid air can flow from the atmosphere down through the down comer duct and space between the forth and third partitions and up through the space between the third and second partition and the riser duct then out into the atmosphere; and a second fluid coolant circulating flow

MHD power conversion employing liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houben, J.W.M.A.; Massee, P.

1969-02-01

The work performed in the field of MHD generation of electricity by means of liquid metals is described. It is shown that the study of two-phase flows is essential in this topic of research; two-phase flows are therefore described. Two types of generators which can be utilized with liquid metals have been studied. The results of this study are described. A short survey of the prospects of other liquid metal systems which emerge from a study of the literature is given. Finally, conclusions are drawn concerning possibilities for further investigation

Overview of liquid-metal MHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunn, P.F.

1978-01-01

The basic features of the two-phase liquid-metal MHD energy conversion under development at Argonne National Laboratory are presented. The results of system studies on the Rankine-cycle and the open-cycle coal-fired cycle options are discussed. The liquid-metal MHD experimental facilities are described in addition to the system's major components, the generator, mixer and nozzle-separator-diffuser

Development and computational simulation of thermoelectric electromagnetic pumps for controlling the fluid flow in liquid metal cooled space nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, E.M.

1991-01-01

Thermoelectric Electromagnetic (TEEM) Pumps can be used for controlling the fluid flow in the primary and secondary circuits of liquid metal cooled space nuclear reactor. In order to simulate and to evaluate the pumps performance, in steady-state, the computer program BEMTE has been developed to study the main operational parameters and to determine the system actuation point, for a given reactor operating power. The results for each stage of the program were satisfactory, compared to experimental data. The program shows to be adequate for the design and simulating of direct current electromagnetic pumps. (author)

Glass-Metal Joining in Nuclear Environment: the State of the Art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, M.

2007-01-01

Full text of publication follows: In the ITER fusion machine and in material testing fission reactors, it is not possible to avoid the use of non-metallic materials like glass for example. There is therefore a need to apply metal to glass joints. This problem arose already at the beginning of the 19. century when the electric light bulb was invented. Nowadays this type of glass-metal joint is very successful and widely used in the electronic industry. In the case of ITER and material testing reactors, glass-metal joints are necessary for the fixation of the optical windows and optical fibres to a metal structure to perform diagnostics. These types of joints are still difficult to make and their behaviour is not fully understood. A joint between glass and metal for a nuclear or fusion application has indeed to resist high temperatures and high neutron fluences, while keeping a good mechanical strength and remaining leak tight. These characteristics are difficult to obtain under these severe conditions. This paper presents an overview of the different joining technologies that can be used to join glass to metal in a severe nuclear environment. The working mechanism of the technologies are explained, together with their respective advantages and drawbacks. Three different types of joining are discussed: fastening, liquid phase joining and solid phase joining. Fastening is a mechanical attachment technique, not achieving easily hermetic seals. Liquid and solid phase joining on the other hand form a real bond, what makes the joint much stronger. The most important technologies using liquid phase joining are adhesive bonding, fusion welding and brazing. In the case of the solid phase joining the choices are ultrasonic torsion welding, diffusion bonding and electrostatic bonding. If it is usually not possible to join the glass directly to the metal, an interlayer must be used. One speaks then of indirect joining. The paper will conclude with a discussion on the best

Management of metal arising from an Italian Nuclear Facility: techniques for clearance and unconditional release - Management of metals resulting from an Italian nuclear facility: techniques for clearance and unconditional release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldassarre, Leonardo; Varasano, Giovanni; Bruno, Salvatore Gaetano

2014-01-01

The start of the decommissioning of nuclear plants in Italy lead to an appreciable increase in the volume of metal materials that will need to radiological characterization for the unconditional release. The nuclear fuel reprocessing plant ITREC, located in Rotondella (MT) in the south of Italy, is currently undergoing safety maintenance. As part of these activities was necessary the replacement of approximately 5000 m of radioactive liquid effluents discharge's pipeline. The entire pipeline is undergoing treatment within a small Waste Management Facility suitably equipped for the cutting, the separation of non-metallic residue and decontamination. 100% of the pipe portions are characterized through measurements of gross-beta and high resolution gamma spectrometry in order to verify the clearance of materials. The target levels of surface activity and specific activity, prescribed by the National Regulatory Authority, is verified through measurement activities implemented according to specific MQOs defined for the specific process. Activities, subject to National Regulatory Authority control, allow the unconditional release of metallic materials originated from the removal of the radioactive liquid effluents discharge's pipeline in nuclear fuel reprocessing plant ITREC managed by SOGIN SpA. The methodology described provides a good example of management, treatment and decontamination of metallic materials for unconditional release. (authors)

Oxidation-Mediated Fingering in Liquid Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Eaker, Collin B.; Hight, David C.; O'Regan, John D.; Dickey, Michael D.; Daniels, Karen E.

2017-10-01

We identify and characterize a new class of fingering instabilities in liquid metals; these instabilities are unexpected due to the large interfacial tension of metals. Electrochemical oxidation lowers the effective interfacial tension of a gallium-based liquid metal alloy to values approaching zero, thereby inducing drastic shape changes, including the formation of fractals. The measured fractal dimension (D =1.3 ±0.05 ) places the instability in a different universality class than other fingering instabilities. By characterizing changes in morphology and dynamics as a function of droplet volume and applied electric potential, we identify the three main forces involved in this process: interfacial tension, gravity, and oxidative stress. Importantly, we find that electrochemical oxidation can generate compressive interfacial forces that oppose the tensile forces at a liquid interface. The surface oxide layer ultimately provides a physical and electrochemical barrier that halts the instabilities at larger positive potentials. Controlling the competition between interfacial tension and oxidative (compressive) stresses at the interface is important for the development of reconfigurable electronic, electromagnetic, and optical devices that take advantage of the metallic properties of liquid metals.

Structural disorder in metallic glass-forming liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shao-Peng; Feng, Shi-Dong; Wang, Li-Min; Qiao, Jun-Wei; Niu, Xiao-Feng; Dong, Bang-Shao; Wang, Wei-Min; Qin, Jing-Yu

2016-06-09

We investigated structural disorder by a new structural parameter, quasi-nearest atom (QNA), in atomistic configurations of eight metallic glass-forming systems generated through molecular dynamics simulations at various temperatures. Structural analysis reveals that the scaled distribution of the number of QNA appears to be an universal property of metallic liquids and the spatial distribution of the number of QNA displays to be clearly heterogeneous. Furthermore, the new parameter can be directly correlated with potential energy and structural relaxation at the atomic level. Some straightforward relationships between QNA and other properties (per-atom potential energy and α-relaxation time) are introduced to reflect structure-property relationship in metallic liquids. We believe that the new structural parameter can well reflect structure disorder in metallic liquids and play an important role in understanding various properties in metallic liquids.

Ionic Liquids as Extraction Media for Metal Ions

Science.gov (United States)

Hirayama, Naoki

In solvent extraction separation of metal ions, recently, many researchers have investigated possible use of hydrophobic ionic liquids as extraction media instead of organic solvents. Ionic liquids are salts of liquid state around room temperature and can act not only as solvents but also as ion-exchangers. Therefore, the extraction mechanism of metal ions into ionic liquids is complicated. This review presents current overview and perspective on evaluation of nature of hydrophobic ionic liquids as extraction media for metal ions.

An innovative liquid metal design with worldwide application potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, J.E.; Berglund, R.C.

1989-01-01

This paper reports that the United States nuclear program has been faced with major political, economic and technical challenges in recent years. One US program element, the Liquid Metal Reactor, has addressed these challenges in a systematic, focused manner. The result is an innovative modular design incorporating safety features that utilize inherent characteristics. This Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) is based on the PRISM concept, originated by the General Electric Company in 1981. This design should also be attractive in other developed countries that have deployed, and/or are deploying, nuclear power. The design's safety features can achieve neutronic shutdown and decay heat removal without relying on operator action or engineered active safety features. The ALMR utilizes many innovations including: a passive reactor vessel air cooling system for decay heat removal; the use of a sealed reactor assembly; seismic isolation; electromagnetic primary pumps; and an in-vessel fuel transfer machine. The US ALMR design incorporates a metal fuel core as its reference, however, the required safety performance can also be achieved with an oxide core having similar safety features. This flexibility is particularly important when addressing world wide ALMR applications. The reference ALMR reactor module, of which there are nine in a typical 1395 MW e plant, has a -6 meter by -20 meter vessel and a 471 MW thermal output, with a reactor outlet temperature of 485 degrees C and an overall conversion efficiency of 33%. This plant uses a saturated steam cycle and a non-safety grade secondary sodium system

Novel routes to metal nanoparticles : electrodeposition and reactions at liquid-liquid interfaces

OpenAIRE

Johans, Christoffer

2003-01-01

This thesis considers the nucleation and growth, synthesis, and catalytic application of metallic nanoparticles at liquid|liquid interfaces. It comprises five publications, a previously unpublished synthesis of polymer coated palladium nanoparticles, and an introduction to the relevant literature. Three publications are concerned with electrodeposition of metal nanoparticles at liquid|liquid interfaces. One publication and the results presented here consider the synthesis of silver and pallad...

Method of charging instruments into liquid metal coolant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamazaki, Hiroshi

1980-01-01

Purpose: To alleviate the thermal shock of a reactor charging machine when charging the machine into liquid metal coolant after the machine is preheated in cover gas. Method: When a reactor fueling machine reaches at the lowermost portion the position immediately above liquid metal coolant surface level, the machine is stopped moving down. The reactor fueling machine is heated at the lowermost portion by thermal radiation from the surface of the liquid metal coolant. After the machine is thus preheated in cover gas, it is again steadily moved down by a winch and charged into the liquid metal coolant. Therefore, the thermal shock of the machine becomes low when charging the machine into the liquid metal coolant to eliminate the damage and deformation at the machine. (Yoshihara, H.)

Some Issues in Liquid Metals Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria José Caturla

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The ten articles [1–10] included in this Special Issue on “Liquid Metals” do not intend to comprehensively cover this extensive field, but, rather, to highlight recent discoveries that have greatly broadened the scope of technological applications of these materials. Improvements in understanding the physics of liquid metals are, to a large extent, due to the powerful theoretical tools in the hands of scientists, either semi-empirical [1,5,6] or ab initio (molecular dynamics, see [7]. Surface tension and wetting at metal/ceramic interfaces is an everlasting field of fundamental research with important technological implications. The review of [2] is broad enough, as the work carried out at Grenoble covers almost all interesting matters in the field. Some issues of interest in geophysics and astrophysics are discussed in [3]. The recently discovered liquid–liquid transition in several metals is dealt with in [4]. The fifth contribution [5] discusses the role of icosahedral superclusters in crystallization. In [6], thermodynamic calculations are carried out to identify the regions of the ternary phase diagram of Al-Cu-Y, where the formation of amorphous alloys is most probable. Experimental data and ab initio calculations are presented in [7] to show that an optimal microstructure is obtained if Mg is added to the Al-Si melt before than the modifier AlP alloy. Shock-induced melting of metals by means of laser driven compression is discussed in [8]. With respect to recent discoveries, one of the most outstanding developments is that of gallium alloys that are liquid at room temperature [9], and that, due to the oxide layer that readily cover their surface, maintain some “stiffness”. This has opened the possibility of 3D printing with liquid metals. The last article in this Special Issue [10] describes nano-liquid metals, a suspension of liquid metal and its alloy containing nanometer-sized particles. A room-temperature nano-liquid metal

Detection of gas entrainment into liquid metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogt, T., E-mail: t.vogt@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Boden, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Andruszkiewicz, A. [Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland); Eckert, K. [Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Fluid Mechanics, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Eckert, S.; Gerbeth, G. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • We present liquid metal experiments dedicated to gas entrainment on the free surface. • Ultrasonic and X-ray attenuation techniques have been used to study the mechanisms of gas entrainment. • A comparison between bubbly flow in water and GaInSn showed substantial differences. • Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation. - Abstract: Entrainment of cover gas into the liquid metal coolant is one of the principal safety issues in the design of innovative liquid metal-cooled fast reactors. We present generic experimental studies of this phenomenon in low-melting metals. Ultrasonic and X-ray diagnostic tools were considered for a visualization of gas entrainment at the free surface of the melt. Laboratory experiments were conducted using the eutectic alloy GaInSn, which is liquid at room temperature. Vortex-activated entrainment of air at the free surface of a rotating flow was revealed by ultrasonic techniques. X-ray radioscopy was used to visualize the behavior of argon bubbles inside a slit geometry. The measurements reveal distinct differences between water and GaInSn, especially with respect to the process of bubble formation and the coalescence and breakup of bubbles. Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation.

Microstructured liquid metal electron and ion sources (MILMES/MILMIS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitterauer, J [Technische Universitaet Wien (Austria). Institut fuer Allgemeine Elektrotechnik und Elektronik

1997-12-31

Ion or electron beams can be emitted from liquid metal wetted needles, or from capillaries or slits into which the liquid metal is allowed to flow. Large-area liquid metal field emission sources have been proposed recently, using either two-dimensional, regular arrays of cones or capillaries, or even a substrate with an intrinsically microstructured surface covered by a liquid metal film. This latter concept has been realized in a pilot experiment by in situ wicking and wetting of a porous sintered metal disc. Microstructured liquid metal ion or electron sources are capable of operating in a pulsed mode at a current level which is orders of magnitude above that for steady-state operation. (author). 3 figs., 10 refs.

Measurement of the differential pressure of liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, H.J.

1975-01-01

This patent relates to an improved means for measuring the differential pressure between any two points in a process liquid metal coolant loop, wherein the flow of liquid metal in a pipe is opposed by a permanent magnet liquid metal pump until there is almost zero flow shown by a magnetic type flowmeter. The pressure producing the liquid metal flow is inferred from the rate of rotation of the permanent magnet pump. In an alternate embodiment, a differential pressure transducer is coupled to a process pipeline by means of high-temperature bellows or diaphragm seals, and a permanent magnet liquid metal pump in the high-pressure transmission line to the pressure transducer can be utilized either for calibration of the transducer or for determining the process differential pressure as a function of the magnet pump speed

Measurement of the differential pressure of liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Metz, H.J.

1975-09-01

This patent relates to an improved means for measuring the differential pressure between any two points in a process liquid metal coolant loop, wherein the flow of liquid metal in a pipe is opposed by a permanent magnet liquid metal pump until there is almost zero flow shown by a magnetic type flowmeter. The pressure producing the liquid metal flow is inferred from the rate of rotation of the permanent magnet pump. In an alternate embodiment, a differential pressure transducer is coupled to a process pipeline by means of high-temperature bellows or diaphragm seals, and a permanent magnet liquid metal pump in the high-pressure transmission line to the pressure transducer can be utilized either for calibration of the transducer or for determining the process differential pressure as a function of the magnet pump speed. (auth)

A method of measuring a molten metal liquid pool volume

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, G.V.; Carlson, N.M., Donaldson, A.D.

1990-12-12

A method of measuring a molten metal liquid pool volume and in particular molten titanium liquid pools, including the steps of (a) generating an ultrasonic wave at the surface of the molten metal liquid pool, (b) shining a light on the surface of a molten metal liquid pool, (c) detecting a change in the frequency of light, (d) detecting an ultrasonic wave echo at the surface of the molten metal liquid pool, and (e) computing the volume of the molten metal liquid. 3 figs.

Stretchable and Soft Electronics using Liquid Metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickey, Michael D

2017-07-01

The use of liquid metals based on gallium for soft and stretchable electronics is discussed. This emerging class of electronics is motivated, in part, by the new opportunities that arise from devices that have mechanical properties similar to those encountered in the human experience, such as skin, tissue, textiles, and clothing. These types of electronics (e.g., wearable or implantable electronics, sensors for soft robotics, e-skin) must operate during deformation. Liquid metals are compelling materials for these applications because, in principle, they are infinitely deformable while retaining metallic conductivity. Liquid metals have been used for stretchable wires and interconnects, reconfigurable antennas, soft sensors, self-healing circuits, and conformal electrodes. In contrast to Hg, liquid metals based on gallium have low toxicity and essentially no vapor pressure and are therefore considered safe to handle. Whereas most liquids bead up to minimize surface energy, the presence of a surface oxide on these metals makes it possible to pattern them into useful shapes using a variety of techniques, including fluidic injection and 3D printing. In addition to forming excellent conductors, these metals can be used actively to form memory devices, sensors, and diodes that are completely built from soft materials. The properties of these materials, their applications within soft and stretchable electronics, and future opportunities and challenges are considered. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Liquid metal actuation by electrical control of interfacial tension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eaker, Collin B.; Dickey, Michael D., E-mail: michael-dickey@ncsu.edu [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2016-09-15

By combining metallic electrical conductivity with low viscosity, liquid metals and liquid metal alloys offer new and exciting opportunities to serve as reconfigurable components of electronic, microfluidic, and electromagnetic devices. Here, we review the physics and applications of techniques that utilize voltage to manipulate the interfacial tension of liquid metals; such techniques include electrocapillarity, continuous electrowetting, electrowetting-on-dielectric, and electrochemistry. These techniques lower the interfacial tension between liquid metals and a surrounding electrolyte by driving charged species (or in the case of electrochemistry, chemical species) to the interface. The techniques are useful for manipulating and actuating liquid metals at sub-mm length scales where interfacial forces dominate. We focus on metals and alloys that are liquid near or below room temperature (mercury, gallium, and gallium-based alloys). The review includes discussion of mercury—despite its toxicity—because it has been utilized in numerous applications and it offers a way of introducing several phenomena without the complications associated with the oxide layer that forms on gallium and its alloys. The review focuses on the advantages, applications, opportunities, challenges, and limitations of utilizing voltage to control interfacial tension as a method to manipulate liquid metals.

Liquid Metal Machine Triggered Violin-Like Wire Oscillator.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Bin; Wang, Lei; Yang, Xiaohu; Ding, Yujie; Tan, Sicong; Yi, Liting; He, Zhizhu; Liu, Jing

2016-10-01

The first ever oscillation phenomenon of a copper wire embraced inside a self-powered liquid metal machine is discovered. When contacting a copper wire to liquid metal machine, it would be swallowed inside and then reciprocally moves back and forth, just like a violin bow. Such oscillation could be easily regulated by touching a steel needle on the liquid metal surface.

Ionic imbalance induced self-propulsion of liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Zavabeti, Ali; Daeneke, Torben; Chrimes, Adam F.; O'Mullane, Anthony P.; Zhen Ou, Jian; Mitchell, Arnan; Khoshmanesh, Khashayar; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh

2016-08-01

Components with self-propelling abilities are important building blocks of small autonomous systems and the characteristics of liquid metals are capable of fulfilling self-propulsion criteria. To date, there has been no exploration regarding the effect of electrolyte ionic content surrounding a liquid metal for symmetry breaking that generates motion. Here we show the controlled actuation of liquid metal droplets using only the ionic properties of the aqueous electrolyte. We demonstrate that pH or ionic concentration gradients across a liquid metal droplet induce both deformation and surface Marangoni flow. We show that the Lippmann dominated deformation results in maximum velocity for the self-propulsion of liquid metal droplets and illustrate several key applications, which take advantage of such electrolyte-induced motion. With this finding, it is possible to conceive the propulsion of small entities that are constructed and controlled entirely with fluids, progressing towards more advanced soft systems.

Liquid metal tribology in fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wild, E.; Mack, K.J.; Gegenheimer, M.

1984-11-01

Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBR) require mechanisms operating in various sodium liquid and sodium vapor environments for extended periods of time up to temperatures of 900 K under different chemical properties of the fluid. The design of tribological systems in those reactors cannot be based on data and past experience of so-called conventional tribology. Although basic tribological phenomena and their scientific interpretation apply in this field, operating conditions specific to nuclear reactors and prevailing especially in the nuclear part of such facilities pose special problems. Therefore, in the framework of the R and D-program accompanying the construction phase of SNR 300 experiments were carried out to provide data and knowledge necessary for the lay-out of friction systems between mating surfaces of contacting components. Initially, screening tests isolated material pairs with good slipping properties and maximum wear resistance. Those materials were subjected to comprehensive parameter investigations. A multitude of laboratory scale tests have been performed under largely reactor specific conditions. Unusual superimpositions of parameters were analyzed and separated to find their individual influence on the friction process. The results of these experiments were made available to the reactor industry as well as to factories producing special tribo-materials. (orig.) [de

Corrosion by liquid metals - Application to liquid sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavielle, Lisette.

1978-10-01

In this bibliographic review on the corrosion by liquid metals, the first part is devoted to the theoretical aspects of the problem and the second part concerns the corrosion of steels by liquid sodium, as example. Obvious the numerous works now published, the mechanisms are still leaving bad known [fr

Liquid phase and supercooled liquid phase welding of bulk metallic glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Y.

2004-01-01

Recent progress on welding in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been reviewed. BMGs have been successfully welded to BMGs or crystalline metals by liquid phase welding using explosion, pulse-current and electron-beam methods, and by supercooled liquid phase welding using friction method. Successful welding of the liquid phase methods was due to the high glass-forming ability of the BMGs and the high concentration of welding energy in these methods. In contrast, the supercooled liquid phase welding was successful due to the thermally stable supercooled liquid state of the BMGs and the superplasticity and viscous flow of the supercooled liquid. The successful welding of BMGs to BMGs and crystalline materials is promising for the future development of BMGs as engineering materials

The US Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brolin, E.C.

1992-01-01

Based on National Energy Strategy projections, utilities will be required to substantially increase electric generating capacity over the next 40 yr to meet economic growth requirements and replace retiring capacity. Although aggressive conservation measures can save up to 85 GW(electric), ∼195 GW(electric) of additional generating capcity will still be needed by 2010. Assuming startup of new plants around 2000, US Department of Energy (DOE) analyses show that nuclear power can contribute 195 GW(electric) of capacity by 2030, or ∼20% of total electric generation. The DOE is involved in a number of strategies designed to revitalize the nuclear power industry and enable it to meet this projected need for additional capacity. Among these is an integrated overall strategy for advanced reactor development and high-level waste management. A high priority in pursuit of this strategy is the Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor (ALMR) Program

PFR liquid metals disposal at Dounreay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, A.W.

1997-01-01

When the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) at Dounreay was shut down in 1994, the UKAEA commissioned a series of studies to determine the least cost, lowest risk option for dealing with the liquid metal coolants, i.e. the sodium from the primary and secondary circuits and the NaK from the decay heat removal system. The studies concluded that leaving the liquid metals in situ was not a viable option. Removing the liquid metals had three options, provision of long term external storage facilities, re-use in other projects or treatment for final disposal. The UKAEA invited companies to bid for the challenging task of disposing of more than 1500 t of liquid metals. In 1995 UKAEA awarded NNC Ltd. one of the largest decommissioning projects ever to be let competitively in the UK. During the first year of the contract, the challenges have focused on solving design problems and a number of innovative solutions have been developed by NNC and its subcontractors. From January 1997 the focus has moved to construction on site at Dounreay, and the manufacturing and installation of the mechanical components of the plant

Liquid metal batteries - materials selection and fluid dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Weier, T.; Bund, A.; El-Mofid, W.; Horstmann, G. M.; Lalau, C.-C.; Landgraf, S.; Nimtz, M.; Starace, M.; Stefani, F.; Weber, N.

2017-07-01

Liquid metal batteries are possible candidates for massive and economically feasible large-scale stationary storage and as such could be key components of future energy systems based mainly or exclusively on intermittent renewable electricity sources. The completely liquid interior of liquid metal batteries and the high current densities give rise to a multitude of fluid flow phenomena that will primarily influence the operation of future large cells, but might be important for today’s smaller cells as well. The paper at hand starts with a discussion of the relative merits of using molten salts or ionic liquids as electrolytes for liquid metal cells and touches the choice of electrode materials. This excursus into electrochemistry is followed by an overview of investigations on magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in liquid metal batteries, namely the Tayler instability and electromagnetically excited gravity waves. A section on electro-vortex flows complements the discussion of flow phenomena. Focus of the flow related investigations lies on the integrity of the electrolyte layer and related critical parameters.

Thermal bonding of light water reactor fuel using nonalkaline liquid-metal alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, R.F.; Tulenko, J.S.; Schoessow, G.J.; Connell, R.G. Jr.; Dubecky, M.A.; Adams, T.

1996-01-01

Light water reactor (LWR) fuel performance is limited by thermal and mechanical constraints associated with the design, fabrication, and operation of fuel in a nuclear reactor. A technique is explored that extends fuel performance by thermally bonding LWR fuel with a nonalkaline liquid-metal alloy. Current LWR fuel rod designs consist of enriched uranium oxide fuel pellets enclosed in a zirconium alloy cylindrical clad. The space between the pellets and the clad is filled by an inert gas. Because of the low thermal conductivity of the gas, the gas space thermally insulates the fuel pellets from the reactor coolant outside the fuel rod, elevating the fuel temperatures. Filling the gap between the fuel and clad with a high-conductivity liquid metal thermally bonds the fuel to the cladding and eliminates the large temperature change across the gap while preserving the expansion and pellet-loading capabilities. The application of liquid-bonding techniques to LWR fuel is explored to increase LWR fuel performance and safety. A modified version of the ESCORE fuel performance code (ESBOND) is developed to analyze the in-reactor performance of the liquid-metal-bonded fuel. An assessment of the technical feasibility of this concept for LWR fuel is presented, including the results of research into materials compatibility testing and the predicted lifetime performance of liquid-bonded LWR fuel. The results show that liquid-bonded boiling water reactor peak fuel temperatures are 400 F lower at beginning of life and 200 F lower at end of life compared with conventional fuel

The coalescence of heterogeneous liquid metal on nano substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Long; Li, Yifan; Zhou, Xuyan; Li, Tao; Li, Hui

2017-06-01

Molecular dynamics simulation has been performed to study the asymmetric coalescence of heterogeneous liquid metal on graphene. Simulation results show that the anomalies in the drop coalescence is mainly caused by the wettability of heterogeneous liquid metal. The silver atoms incline to distribute on the outer layer of the gold and copper droplets, revealing that the structure is determined by the interaction between different metal atoms. The coalescence and fusion of heterogeneous liquid metal drop can be predicted by comparing the wettability and the atomic mass of metallic liquid drops, which has important implications in the industrial application such as ink-jet printing and metallurgy.

Corrosion and compatibility in liquid alkali metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1978-01-01

The literature dealing with liquid alkali metal corrosion of vanadium and its alloys is reviewed in the following subsections. Attention is given to both lithium and sodium data. Preceding this review, a brief outline of the current state of understanding of liquid metal corrosion mechanisms is provided

Liquid metal cooling concepts in solar power application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deegan, P.B.; Mangus, J.D.; Whitlow, G.A.

1978-01-01

The thermodynamic and thermophysical properties and proven technology of a liquid sodium heat transport system provide numerous advantages and benefits for application in a central receiver solar thermal power plant concept. The major advantages of utilizing liquid sodium are: attainment of high thermodynamic cycle efficiencies, reduced relative costs, and achievement of these goals by the mid-1980's through the utilization of proven liquid metal technology developed in the power industry, without the need for extensive development programs. The utilization of liquid sodium reduces the complexity of the design of these systems, thus providing confidence in system reliability. The implementation of the proven technology in liquid metal systems also provides assurance of reliability. In addition, the ease of transition from liquid metal breeder reactor systems to solar application provides immediate availability of this technology

Equipment for liquid metal pressure measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, J.

1977-01-01

Equipment is proposed for measuring liquid metal pressure in piping or a tank. An auxiliary piping is connected to the piping or tank at the measuring point. The auxiliary piping transports liquid metal to a container by means of an electromagnetic pump. The piping also houses an electromagnetic flow ratemeter connected to an electric comparator. The comparator and the electromagnetic pump are connected to the pump output generator. (Z.M.)

Clad buffer rod sensors for liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jen, C.-K.; Ihara, I.

1999-01-01

Clad buffer rods, consisting of a core and a cladding, have been developed for ultrasonic monitoring of liquid metal processing. The cores of these rods are made of low ultrasonic-loss materials and the claddings are fabricated by thermal spray techniques. The clad geometry ensures proper ultrasonic guidance. The lengths of these rods ranges from tens of centimeters to 1m. On-line ultrasonic level measurements in liquid metals such as magnesium at 700 deg C and aluminum at 960 deg C are presented to demonstrate their operation at high temperature and their high ultrasonic performance. A spherical concave lens is machined at the rod end for improving the spatial resolution. High quality ultrasonic images have been obtained in the liquid zinc at 600 deg C. High spatial resolution is needed for the detection of inclusions in liquid metals during processing. We also show that the elastic properties such as density, longitudinal and shear wave velocities of liquid metals can be measured using a transducer which generates and receives both longitudinal and shear waves and is mounted at the end of a clad buffer rod. (author)

Diverse transformations of liquid metals between different morphologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Jing

2014-09-10

Transformation from a film into a sphere, rapid merging of separate objects, controlled self-rotation, and planar locomotion are the very unusual phenomena observed in liquid metals under application of an electric field to a liquid metal immersed in or sprayed with water. A mechanism for these effects is suggested and potential applications - for example the recovery of liquid metal previously injected into the body for therapeutic purposes - are outlined. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fundamental study on cavitation erosion in liquid metal. Effect of liquid parameter on cavitation erosion in liquid metals (Joint research)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Shuji; Kurachi, Hiroaki; Inoue, Fumitaka; Watashi, Katsumi; Tsukimori, Kazuyuki; Yada, Hiroki; Hashimoto, Takashi

2009-02-01

Cavitation erosion, which possibly occurs on the surfaces of fluid machineries and components contacting flowing liquid and causes sponge-like damage on the material surface, is important problem, since it may become the cause of performance deduction, life shortening, noise, vibration of mechanical components and moreover failure of machine. Research on cavitation erosion in liquid metal is very important to confirm the safety of fast breeder reactor using sodium coolant and to avoid serious damage of the target vessel of spallation neutron source containing liquid-mercury. But the research on cavitation erosion in liquid metal has been hardly performed because of its specially in comparison with that in water. In this study, a cavitation erosion test apparatus was developed to carry out the erosion tests in low-temperature liquid metals. Cavitation erosion tests were carried out in liquid lead-bismuth alloy and in deionized water. We discuss the effect of liquid parameters and temperature effects on the erosion rate. We reach to the following conclusions. The erosion rate was evaluated in terms of a relative temperature which was defind as the percentage between freezing and boiling points. At 14degC relative temperature, the erosion rate is 10 times in lead-bismuth alloy, and 2 to 5 times in sodium, compared with that in deionized water. At 14degC relative temperature, the erosion rate can be evaluated in terms of the following parameter. 1 / (1/ρ L /C L +1/ρ S C S )√ρ L . Where ρ is the material density and c is the velocity of sound, L and S denote liquid and solid. In the relative temperature between 14 and 30degC, the temperature dependence on the erosion rate is due to the increase in vapor pressure. (author)

Graphite-based detectors of alkali metals for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalandarishvili, A.G.; Kuchukhidze, V.A.; Sordiya, T.D.; Shartava, Sh.Sh.; Stepennov, B.S.

1993-01-01

The coolants most commonly used in today's fast reactors are alkali metals or their alloys. A major problem in nuclear plant design is leakproofing of the liquid-metal cooling system, and many leak detection methods and safety specifications have been developed as a result. Whatever the safety standards adopted for nuclear plants in different countries, they all rely on the basic fact that control of the contamination and radiation hazards involved requires reliable monitoring equipment. Results are presented of trials with some leak detectors for the alkali-metal circuits of nuclear reactors. The principal component affecting the detector performance is the sensing element. In the detectors graphite was employed, whose laminar structure enables it to absorb efficiently alkali-metal vapors at high temperatures (320--500 K). This produces a continuous series of alkali-metal-graphite solid solutions with distinct electrical, thermal, and other physical properties. The principle of operation of the detectors resides in the characteristic reactions of the metal-graphite system. One detector type uses the change of electrical conductivity of the graphite-film sensor when it is exposed to alkali-metal vapor. In order to minimize the effect of temperature on the resistance the authors prepared composite layers of graphite intercalated with a donor impurity (cesium or barium), and a graphite-nickel material. The addition of a small percentage of cesium, barium, or nickel produces a material whose temperature coefficient of resistance is nearly zero. Used as a sensing element, such a material can eliminate the need for thermostatic control of the detector

The liquidation of liquid radioactive waste on nuclear medicine departments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fueriova, A.

1995-01-01

The most serious problems for Clinic of Nuclear Medicine of National Oncological Institute, Bratislava (CNM) is the localization of CNM in the downtown, inside the hospital area with the dilution water deficit. This department is the only one in Slovak Republic performing therapeutical applications. To be able to perform the necessary amount of therapies and also to introduce a new therapeutical methods, in 1992-1994 the old liquidation waste disposal station (LWDS) was reconstructed with the aim to satisfy the newest requirements of radiation hygiene. LWDS is the 5-floor object partly underground which satisfied the requirements for liquidation of radioactive liquid waste from diagnostic procedures(annually 5000 patients) and also from 200 therapeutical applications annually (15 beds, 720 GBq iodine-131). The capacity of LWDS is able to store about 90 m 3 liquid radioactive waste. Part of the underground spaces are used for the storage of solid radioactive trash. The liquid waste from CNM is collected through isolated metal sewage system to the storage with continuous observation of water specific activity. According to the activity, the liquid waste is placed to the 5 decay storages with the volume about 15 m 3 . The six one serves for the case of technical accident. When the activity declines, the liquid waste is diluted with non active medical trash to the level which is acceptable by low about radiation hygiene protection. The storage walls are made from barium-concrete 25-50 cm thick which is enough for sufficient protection of operation staff and also for walking around persons. Double-layer high quality chemical material prevents the water leak and diffusion of radionuclides into the concrete. Technology consists of cast-iron drains, powerful slush pumps, operation valves, regulation technology from dosimetric system for continuous monitoring of specific activity, for managing system with powerful industrial computer

The liquidation of liquid radioactive waste on nuclear medicine departments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fueriova, A [National Oncological Institue, Bratislava (Slovakia). Hospital St. Elis, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine

1996-12-31

The most serious problems for Clinic of Nuclear Medicine of National Oncological Institute, Bratislava (CNM) is the localization of CNM in the downtown, inside the hospital area with the dilution water deficit. This department is the only one in Slovak Republic performing therapeutical applications. To be able to perform the necessary amount of therapies and also to introduce a new therapeutical methods, in 1992-1994 the old liquidation waste disposal station (LWDS) was reconstructed with the aim to satisfy the newest requirements of radiation hygiene. LWDS is the 5-floor object partly underground which satisfied the requirements for liquidation of radioactive liquid waste from diagnostic procedures(annually 5000 patients) and also from 200 therapeutical applications annually (15 beds, 720 GBq iodine-131). The capacity of LWDS is able to store about 90 m{sup 3} liquid radioactive waste. Part of the underground spaces are used for the storage of solid radioactive trash. The liquid waste from CNM is collected through isolated metal sewage system to the storage with continuous observation of water specific activity. According to the activity, the liquid waste is placed to the 5 decay storages with the volume about 15 m{sup 3}. The six one serves for the case of technical accident. When the activity declines, the liquid waste is diluted with non active medical trash to the level which is acceptable by low about radiation hygiene protection. The storage walls are made from barium-concrete 25-50 cm thick which is enough for sufficient protection of operation staff and also for walking around persons. Double-layer high quality chemical material prevents the water leak and diffusion of radionuclides into the concrete. Technology consists of cast-iron drains, powerful slush pumps, operation valves, regulation technology from dosimetric system for continuous monitoring of specific activity, for managing system with powerful industrial computer.

Complex risk analysis for loss of electric power in liquid metal nuclear reactor by system dynamics (SD) method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woo, Tae Ho [Seoul National Univ. (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering

2012-07-15

The power stabilization of the nuclear power plants (NPPs) is investigated in the aspect of the liquid metal coolant. The quantification of the risk analysis is performed by the system dynamics (SD) method which is processed by the feedback and accumulation complex algorithms. The Vensim software package is used for the simulations, which is supported by the Monte-Carlo method. There are 2 kinds of considerations as the economic and safety properties. The result shows the stability of the operations when the power can be decided. This shows the higher efficiency of the reactor. The failure frequency is 16/60 = 27%. In the event of Power Stabilized, the failure event is in the quite lower frequency rate. The commercial use of the reactor is important in the operations. (orig.)

The US Liquid-Metal Reactor Program - overview and status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, J.E.; Gyorey, G.L.; Salerno, L.N.

1992-01-01

The US Advanced Liquid-Metal Reactor (ALMR) Program has three major elements being developed in an integrated fashion to produce a system meeting the US long-term nuclear energy needs. Reactor design, one of those elements, is the focus of this paper. The other two elements, the integral fast reactor metal-fuel cycle and the light water reactor (LWR) spent-fuel actinide recycle, will be addressed in companion papers. The ALMR is adaptable to multiple missions with few modifications such as the core arrangements. The missions identified to date are (a) the extension of the existing uranium resources through breeding and highly efficient uranium utilization, (b) the recycle and utilization of the long-life actinides in LWR spent fuel as fissile material for the ALMR, and (c) the conversion of excess weapons fissil material into electricity. In addition to these missions, the reactor design is adaptable to either the metal-fuel cycle or the oxide fuel cycle

Dynamic interactions of Leidenfrost droplets on liquid metal surface

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yujie; Liu, Jing

2016-09-01

Leidenfrost dynamic interaction effects of the isopentane droplets on the surface of heated liquid metal were disclosed. Unlike conventional rigid metal, such conductive and deformable liquid metal surface enables the levitating droplets to demonstrate rather abundant and complex dynamics. The Leidenfrost droplets at different diameters present diverse morphologies and behaviors like rotation and oscillation. Depending on the distance between the evaporating droplets, they attract and repulse each other through the curved surfaces beneath them and their vapor flows. With high boiling point up to 2000 °C, liquid metal offers a unique platform for testing the evaporating properties of a wide variety of liquid even solid.

Tokamak with liquid metal toroidal field coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkawa, T.; Schaffer, M.J.

1981-01-01

Tokamak apparatus includes a pressure vessel for defining a reservoir and confining liquid therein. A toroidal liner disposed within the pressure vessel defines a toroidal space within the liner. Liquid metal fills the reservoir outside said liner. Electric current is passed through the liquid metal over a conductive path linking the toroidal space to produce a toroidal magnetic field within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof. Toroidal plasma is developed within the toroidal space about the major axis thereof

Limets 2: a hot-cell test set-up for Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) studies in liquid lead alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van den Bosch, J.; Bosch, R.W.; Al Mazouzi, A.

2008-01-01

Full text of publication follows. In the nuclear energy sector one of the main candidate designs for the accelerator driven system (ADS) uses liquid lead or lead bismuth eutectic both as a coolant and as spallation target. In the fusion community liquid lead lithium eutectic is considered as a possible coolant for the blanket and as a tritium source. Therefore the candidate materials for such structural components should not only comply with the operating conditions but in addition need to guarantee chemical and physical integrity when coming into contact with the lead alloys. The latter phenomena can be manifested in terms of erosion/corrosion. and/or of the so called liquid metal embrittlement (LME). Thus the susceptibility to LME of the structural materials under consideration to be used in such applications should be investigated in contact with the various lead alloys. LME, if occurring in any solid metal/liquid meta] couple, is likely to increase with irradiation hardening as localised stresses and crack initiations can promote it. To investigate the mechanical response of irradiated materials in contact with a liquid metal under representative conditions, a dedicated testing facility has recently been developed and built at our centre. It consists of an instrumented hot cell. equipped with a testing machine that allows mechanical testing of active materials in contact with active liquid lead lithium and liquid lead bismuth under well controlled chemistry conditions. The specificity of the installation is to handle highly activated and contaminated samples. Also a dedicated dismantling set-up has been developed that allows to retrieve the samples from the irradiation rig without any supplementary damage. In this presentation we will focus on the technical design of this new installation, its special features that have been developed to allow testing in a hot environment and the modifications and actions that have been taken to allow testing in liquid lead

Isolation of Metals from Liquid Wastes: Reactive in Turbulent Thermal Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wendt, Jost O.L.

2001-01-01

that DOE has already experienced problems with organic complexants added to precipitate radionuclides. For example, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has expressed, in a formal Recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, its concern about the evolution of benzene vapor in concentrations greater then the lower flammability limit from tanks to which sodium tetraphenylborate has been added to precipitate 137Cs in the ''In-Tank Precipitation'' (ITP) process at the Savannah River Site. Other species added to the waste in the ITP process are sodium titanate (to adsorb 90Sr and Pu), and oxalic acid. Avoiding addition of organics to radioactive waste has the additional advantage that is likely to significantly reduce the rate of radiolytic and radiolytically-induced hydrogen generation (c.f. Meisel et al., [1993]), in which it is shown that removal of organics reduces the rate of hydrogen generation in simulated waste from Hanford tank 241-SY-101 by over 70%. Organic species already present are destroyed with very high efficiency. This attribute is especially attractive with respect to high-level tank waste at the Hanford Site, in which large amounts of citrate, glyoxylate, EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), and HEDTA [N-(2- hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid] were added to precipitate radionuclides. These organic species are important in the thermal and radiolytic generation of methane, hydrogen, and nitrous oxide, flammable mixtures of which are episodically vented from 25 tanks on Hanford's Flammable Gas Watch List [Hopkins, 1994]. The same basic approach can be used to treat a broad range of liquid wastes, in each case concentrating the metals (regardless of liquid-phase oxidation state or association with chelators or absorbents) using a collectible sorbent, and destroying any organic species present. In common with the Army's approach (see section 2.2) to the thermal destruction of a 10 range of chemical warfare agents (GB, VX, and two blister

Compact device to heat up a liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanc, R.; Pelloux, L.

1981-01-01

Device for heating a liquid metal, sodium for instance, this device being in one piece and capable of being introduced in one go into the tank containing the liquid metal and comprising heating rods and an electromagnetic pump [fr

Application of a bistable convection loop to LMFBR [liquid metal fast breeder reactor] emergency core cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anand, G.; Christensen, R.N.

1990-01-01

The concept of passive safety features for nuclear reactors has been developed in recent years and has gained wide acceptance. A literature survey of current reactors with passive features indicates that these reactors have some passive features but still do not fully meet the design objectives. Consider a current liquid-metal reactor design like PRISM. During normal operation, liquid sodium enters the reactor at ∼395 degree C and exits at ∼550 degree C. In the event of loss of secondary cooling with or without scram, the primary coolant (liquid sodium) initially acts as a heat sink and its temperature increases. For events without scram, the negative reactivity induced by the increase in temperature shuts the reactor down. When the average temperature of the sodium reaches ∼600 to 650 degree C, it overflows from the reactor vessel, activating the auxiliary cooling system. The auxiliary cooling system uses natural circulation of air around the reactor guard vessel. An alternative to the current design incorporates a bistable convection loop (BCL). The incorporation of the BCL concept remarkably improves the safety of the nuclear reactors. Application of the BCL concept to liquid-metal fast breeder reactors is described in this paper

Bulk viscosity and ultrasonic attenuation in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awasthi, O.N.; Murthy, B.V.S.

1984-11-01

Ultrasonic attenuation in simple liquid metals has been investigated using the thermodynamic theory of relaxation processes incorporating the concept of a two state model for the liquid near the melting point. Agreement of the results with the experimental values of the ultrasonic attenuation and bulk viscosity indicates that this might be an appropriate approach to explain the excess attenuation of ultrasonic waves in liquid metals. (author)

A pump/intermediate heat exchanger assembly for a liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nathenson, R.D.; Alexion, C.C.; Sumpman, W.C.

1987-01-01

A heat exchanger and electromagnetic pump assembly is disclosed comprising a heat exchanger housing defining an annularly shaped cavity and supporting therein a plurality of heat transfer tubes. An electromagnetic pump disposed beneath the heat exchanger comprises a circular array of flow couplers. Each flow coupler comprises a pump duct receiving primary liquid metal and a generator duct receiving a pumped intermediate liquid metal. A first plenum chamber is in communication with the generator ducts of all the flow couplers and receives intermediate liquid metal from inlet duct. The generator ducts exit their flows of intermediate liquid metal to a second plenum chamber in communication with the heat exchanger annularly shaped cavity to permit the flow of the intermediate liquid metal therethrough. A third plenum chamber receives collectively the flows of the primary liquid metal from the tubes and directs the primary liquid metal to the pump ducts of the flow couplers. The annular magnetic field of the electromagnetic pump is produced by a circular array of electromagnets having hollow windings cooled by a flow of intermediate liquid metal via tubes and manifolds. The leads to the electromagnets pass through an annular space around the inlet duct. (author)

Jacking mechanism for upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillett, J.E.; Wineman, A.L.

1984-01-01

A jacking mechanism is described for raising the upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor which jacking mechanism uses a system of gears and drive shafts to transmit force from a single motor to four mechanically synchronized ball jacks to raise and lower support columns which support the upper internals structure. The support columns have a pin structure which rides up and down in a slot in a housing fixed to the reactor head. The pin has two locking plates which can be rotated around the pin to bring bolt holes through the locking plates into alignment with a set of bolt holes in the housing, there being a set of such housing bolt holes corresponding to both a raised and a lowered position of the support column. When the locking plate is so aligned, a surface of the locking plate mates with a surface in the housing such that the support column is then supported by the locking plate and not by the ball jacks. Since the locking plates are to be installed and bolted to the housing during periods of reactor operation, the ball jacks need not be sized to react the large forces which occur or potentially could occur on the upper internals structure of the reactor during operation. The locking plates react these loads. The ball jacks, used only during refueling, can be smaller, which enable conventionally available equipment to fulfill the precision requirements for the task within available space

Liquid metals as electrodes in polymer light emitting diodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andersson, G.G.; Gommans, H.H.P.; Denier van der Gon, A.W.; Brongersma, H.H.

2003-01-01

We demonstrate that liquid metals can be used as cathodes in light emitting diodes (pLEDs). The main difference between the use of liquid cathodes and evaporated cathodes is the sharpness of the metal–polymer interface. Liquid metal cathodes result in significantly sharper metal–organic interfaces

Temperature-dependent liquid metal flowrate control device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, R.D.

1978-01-01

A temperature-dependent liquid metal flowrate control device includes a magnet and a ferromagnetic member defining therebetween a flow path for liquid metal, the ferromagnetic member being formed of a material having a curie temperature at which a change in the flow rate of the liquid metal is desired. According to the preferred embodiment the magnet is a cylindrical rod magnet axially disposed within a cylindrical member formed of a curie material and having iron pole pieces at the ends. A cylindrical iron shunt and a thin wall stainless steel barrier are disposed in the annulus between magnet and curie material. Below the curie temperature flow between steel barrier and curie material is impeded and above the curie temperature flow impedance is reduced

Conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial-fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-02-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade provides a basis for formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. Both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber are enumerated, and a design strategy is formulated which accommodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate

Direct high-temperature ohmic heating of metals as liquid pipes.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, A V; Cahill, J A; Liddell, W L; Murphy, W J; Stokes, C S

1968-05-03

When a sufficiently high electric current is passed through a liquid metal, the electromagnetic pressure pinches off the liquid metal and interrupts the flow of current. For the first time the pinch effect has been overcome by use of centrifugal acceleration. By rotation of a pipe of liquid metal, tin or bismuth or their alloys, at sufficiently high speed, it can be heated electrically without intermission of the electric current. One may now heat liquid metallic substances, by resistive (ohmic) heating, to 5000 degrees K and perhaps higher temperatures.

Conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial-fusion reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-02-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade provides a basis for formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. Both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber are enumerated, and a design strategy is formulated which accommodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate.

Water storage of liquid-metal fast-breeder-reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meacham, S.A.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a general overview of a concept proposed for receiving and storing liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) spent fuel. This work was done as part of the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The CFRP has as its major objective the development of technology for reprocessing advanced nuclear reactor fuels. The program plans that research and development will be carried through to a sufficient scale, using irradiated spent fuel under plant operating conditions, to establish a basis for confident projection of reprocessing capability to support a breeder industry

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation

OpenAIRE

King, Eric M.; Aurnou, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, . Most analog models of planetary dynamos, however, use moderate fluids, and the systematic influence of reducing is not well understood. We perform rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium over a range of nondimensional bu...

Compatibility of materials with liquid metal targets for SNS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DiStefano, J.R.; Pawel, S.J.; DeVan, J.H.

1996-01-01

Several heavy liquid metals are candidates as the target in a spallation neutron source: Hg, Pb, Bi, and Pb-Bi eutectic. Systems with these liquid metals have been used in the past and a data-base on compatibility already exists. Two major compatibility issues have been identified when selecting a container material for these liquid metals: temperature gradient mass transfer and liquid metal embrittlement or LME. Temperature gradient mass transfer refers to dissolution of material from the high temperature portions of a system and its deposition in the lower temperature areas. Solution and deposition rate constants along with temperature, ΔT, and velocity are usually the most important parameters. For most candidate materials mass transfer corrosion has been found to be proportionately worse in Bi compared with Hg and Pb. For temperatures to ∼550 degrees C, ferritic/martensitic steels have been satisfactory in Pb or Hg systems and the maximum temperature can be extended to ∼650 degrees C with additions of inhibitors to the liquid metal, e.g. Mg, Ti, Zr. Above ∼600 degrees C, austenitic stainless steels have been reported to be unsatisfactory, largely because of the mass transfer of nickel. Blockage of flow from deposition of material is usually the life-limiting effect of this type of corrosion. However, mass transfer corrosion at lower temperatures has not been studied. At low temperatures (usually < 150 degrees C), LME has been reported for some liquid metal/container alloy combinations. Liquid metal embrittlement, like hydrogen embrittlement, results in brittle fracture of a normally ductile material

Magnetohydrodynamic instability of a cylindrical liquid-metal brush

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, S.H.; Wilhelm, H.E.

1976-01-01

The stability of a homopolar generator brush, consisting of a liquid-metal-filled cavity between rotating (rotor) and fixed (stator) cylinder electrodes, is analyzed in the presence of radial current transport and an axial homogeneous magnetic field. Within the frame of linear magnetohydrodynamics, it is shown that the liquid-metal flow in the brush is always unstable if the brush transports current. In the absence of current flow (infinite load) the axial magnetic field stabilizes the liquid-metal flow in the brush if the magnetic energy density is larger than a certain fraction of the energy density of the rotating fluid

Thermal management of Li-ion battery with liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Xiao-Hu; Tan, Si-Cong; Liu, Jing

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Liquid metal is used for power battery pack thermal management. • Better cooling performance and more uniform module temperature is obtained. • Less power consumption is needed. • The proposed liquid metal cooling system is robust and can cope with stressful conditions. - Abstract: Thermal management especially cooling of electric vehicles (EVs) battery pack is of great significance for guaranteeing the performance of the cells as well as safety and high-efficiency working of the EVs. Liquid cooling is a powerful way to keep the battery temperature in a proper range. However, the efficiency of conventional liquid cooling is still limited due to the inherently low thermal conductivity of the coolant which is usually water or aqueous ethanol. In this paper, a new kind of coolant, liquid metal, is proposed to be used for the thermal management of the battery pack. Mathematical analysis and numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate the cooling capability, pump power consumption and module temperature uniformity of the liquid metal cooling system, in comparison with that of water cooling. The results show that under the same flow conditions, a lower and more uniform module temperature can be obtained and less pump power consumption are needed in the liquid metal cooling system. In addition, liquid metal has an excellent cooling capability coping with stressful conditions, such as high power draw, defects in cells, and high ambient temperature. This makes it a promising coolant for the thermal management of high driving force EVs and quick charge batteries.

Structural crossover in a supercooled metallic liquid and the link to a liquid-to-liquid phase transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lan, S.; Ma, J. L.; Fan, J. [Department of Physics and Material Science, City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon (Hong Kong); Blodgett, M.; Kelton, K. F. [Department of Physics and Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130-4899 (United States); Wang, X.-L., E-mail: xlwang@cityu.edu.hk [Department of Physics and Material Science, City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon (Hong Kong); City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057 (China)

2016-05-23

Time-resolved synchrotron measurements were carried out to capture the structure evolution of an electrostatically levitated metallic-glass-forming liquid during free cooling. The experimental data shows a crossover in the liquid structure at ∼1000 K, about 115 K below the melting temperature and 150 K above the crystallization temperature. The structure change is characterized by a dramatic growth in the extended-range order below the crossover temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations have identified that the growth of the extended-range order was due to an increased correlation between solute atoms. These results provide structural evidence for a liquid-to-liquid-phase-transition in the supercooled metallic liquid.

Evolution of the liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Chang, Y.I.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on the integral fat reactor (IFR) concept. A key feature of the IFR concept is the metallic fuel, the original choice in liquid metal reactor development. An IFR development program is detailed by the authors

Experimental and numerical investigation of liquid-metal free-surface flows in spallation targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batta, A., E-mail: batta@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany Hermann-von-Helmholtz-PLATZ 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Class, A.G.; Litfin, K.; Wetzel, Th. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany Hermann-von-Helmholtz-PLATZ 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Moreau, V.; Massidda, L. [CRS4 Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia, Polaris, Edificio 1, 09010 Pula, CA (Italy); Thomas, S.; Lakehal, D. [ASCOMP GmbH Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Angeli, D.; Losi, G. [DIEF – Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Vignolese 905, 41125 Modena (Italy); Mooney, K.G. [University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Amherst (United States); Van Tichelen, K. [SCK-CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Experimental study of free surface for lead bismuth eutectic target. • Numerical investigation of free surface of a liquid metal target. • Advanced free surface modelling. - Abstract: Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are extensively investigated for the transmutation of high-level nuclear waste within many worldwide research programs. The first advanced design of an ADS system is currently developed in SCK• CEN, Mol, Belgium: the Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications (MYRRHA). Many European research programs support the design of MYRRHA. In the framework of the Euratom project ‘Thermal Hydraulics of Innovative nuclear Systems (THINS)’ a liquid-metal free-surface experiment is performed at the Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory (KALLA) of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The experiment investigates a full-scale model of the concentric free-surface spallation target of MYRRHA using Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) as coolant. In parallel, numerical free surface models are developed and tested which are reviewed in the article. A volume-of-fluid method, a moving mesh model, a free surface model combining the Level-Set method with Large-Eddy Simulation model and a smoothed-particle hydrodynamics approach are investigated. Verification of the tested models is based on the experimental results obtained within the THINS project and on previous water experiments performed at the University Catholic de Louvain (UCL) within the Euratom project ‘EUROpean Research Programme for the TRANSmutation of High Level Nuclear Waste in Accelerator Driven System (EUROTRANS)’. The design of the target enables a high fluid velocity and a stable surface at the beam entry. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of both experimental and numerical results obtained for free surface target characterization. Without entering in technical details, the status, the major achievements and lessons for the future with respect to

Container for liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, Yoshihito; Imazu, Takayuki; Ueda, Sabuo; Ueya, Katsumi.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To arrange a vapor trapping member of a specific structure at the inlet part of a cylindrical gap formed by the inner peripheral surface of the circular opening of a container and the outer peripheral surface of a rotary plug thereby to prevent ingress of vapor in the upper part of the cylindrical gap for a long period of time. Constitution: A sealing material receiving tray is fitted to the container side of the inlet part of a cylindrical gap, and a partition plate is fitted to the rotary plug side. The tray is filled with a sealing material consisting of a large number of steel balls, mesh wire gages and the like, and the partition plate is placed in the tray thereby to carry out sealing of the container. Liquid metal vapor evaporating from the liquid level of the liquid metal adheres to the sealing material to fill the gap, and therefore ingress of vapor to the upper part of the cylindrical gap is prevented, and there is no possibility of causing seal cutting due to the use for a long period. (Sekiya, K.)

Liquid metal flow measurement by neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takenaka, N.; Ono, A.; Matsubayashi, M.; Tsuruno, A.

1996-01-01

Visualization of a liquid metal flow and image processing methods to measure the vector field are carried out by real-time neutron radiography. The JRR-3M real-time thermal neutron radiography facility in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute was used. Lead-bismuth eutectic was used as a working fluid. Particles made from a gold-cadmium intermetallic compound (AuCd 3 ) were used as the tracer for the visualization. The flow vector field was obtained by image processing methods. It was shown that the liquid metal flow vector field was obtainable by real-time neutron radiography when the attenuation of neutron rays due to the liquid metal was less than l/e and the particle size of the tracer was larger than one image element size digitized for the image processing. (orig.)

The SAFR liquid metal concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumeister, E.B.

1987-01-01

The Sodium Advanced Fast Reactor (SAFR) modular reactor concept is being developed by the team of Rockwell International, Combustion Engineering, and Bechtel under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) program. The SAFR plant would provide a viable alternate to light water reactors, especially for applications favoring small incremental capacity additions. SAFR is also a logical step to facilitate the later transition to LMFBRs. The SAFR plant concept employs multiple 350-MWe LMR Power Pak modules. Each Power Pak is a standardized, shop-fabricated unit that can be barge-shipped to the plant site for installation. The 350-MWe size allows SAFR to capitalize on all the inherent safety features provided by small reactors and factory fabrication, while still preserving some economy of scale. Shop fabrication minimizes nuclear-grade field fabrication and minimizes the overall plant construction schedule and capital cost. Each Power Pak consists of one reactor assembly and associated heat transfer equipment coupled to a single turbine generator. The reactor core employs mixed uranium-plutonium zirconium alloy metal fuel. The metal-alloy fuel (which has been used in EBR-II) has cost, safety, and safeguard advantages. The intrinsic properties of the sodium coolant (e.g., high boiling point, low vapor pressure, and strong natural convection), blended together with the pool-type LMR concept and the metal fuel, result in an inherently safe plant. Passive inherent features provide both public safety and plant investment protection. Refueling is carried out annually on each Power Pak, replacing one-fourth of the core over a 6-day refueling outage. A colocated pyroprocessing fuel cycle facility can be accommodated at the site such that no off-site shipments are required. (J.P.N.)

A circulating loop tester for liquid alloyed metal of lead-bismuth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitano, Teruaki; Ono, Mikinori; Kamata, Kinya

2002-01-01

Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) had focused to merits of this lead-bismuth alloy, to actively carry out many works on this field such as an experience of development of heat exchanger at industrial level of intercourse with IPPE (Institute of Physics and Power Engineering) in Russia with an experience of using results for 80 years on coolant for nuclear reactor. Before about 20 years, MES developed a heat exchanger for installation at a lead-zinc separation process in a refinery in Japan under cooperation of the Mitsui Metal and Mine Co., Ltd., to deliver it for a power generation system at the Hachinohe refinery. As the heat exchanger aims at control of cooling in the separation process, it also contributes to power generation of about 4,300 kW, and now it continues to separate and contribute to self-power generation in the refinery. The heat exchanger is filled with the liquid alloyed metal of lead-bismuth for an intermediate thermal medium in its casing. The metal has some merits such as inactivity to air and water, high boiling point (1,700 centigrade), almost no volume change at its coagulation, and its minus reactivity coefficient. However, the metal has some problems to be solved, such as its steel corrosion, its purification, and control technology. To grow up lead-bismuth technology to a nuclear energy technology in Japan, the lead-bismuth circulating loop tester was produced on May, 2001, to establish application technology on this system to nuclear energy technology in Japan. (G.K.)

The development of a fast response thermocouple for use in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morss, A.G.; Vincent, B.

1987-03-01

Work carried out at Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories to develop a fast-response thermocouple for use in liquid metals is described. This thermocouple because of its unique construction, has a junction mass approaching zero and hence its frequency response should be very high. Some of the problems of manufacture are discussed, in particular the high quality of seal required to avoid ingress of liquid metal. A comparison of results obtained with the fast-response thermocouple and with conventional stainless-steel-sheathed thermocouples is made. The improved response of the new thermocouple is clearly visible, hence confirming that measurements made with sheathed thermocouples suffer attenuation. It is concluded that results obtained with the fast-response thermocouple are close to the real magnitude of temperature fluctuations present in turbulent flow. It is also demonstrated that, with suitable corrections, results obtained with sheathed thermocouples can be used to estimate the real signals present in the flow. (author)

Mercury purification in the megawatt liquid metal spallation target of EURISOL-DS

CERN Document Server

Neuhausen, Joerg; Eller, Martin; Schumann, Dorothea; Eichler, Bernd; Horn, Susanne

High power spallation targets are going to be used extensively in future research and technical facilities such as spallation neutron sources, neutrino factories, radioactive beam facilities or accelerator driven systems for the transmutation of long-lived nuclear waste. Within EURISOL-DS, a 4 MW liquid metal spallation target is designed to provide neutrons for a fission target, where neutron rich radionuclides will be produced. For the spallation target, mercury is planned to be used as target material. A large amount of radionuclides ranging from atomic number Z=1 to 81 will be produced in the liquid metal during long term irradiation. It is planned to remove those radionuclides by chemical or physicochemical methods to reduce its radioactivity. For the development of a purification procedure, knowledge about the chemical state of the different elements present in the mixture is required. We present a general concept of applicable separation techniques in a target system and show some results of experiment...

A technical review of liquid/liquid and solid/liquid separation equipment in the field of nuclear-fuel reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vassallo, G.

1981-01-01

Liquid/liquid extraction is generally accepted as the preferred method in nuclear-fuel reprocessing. However, although many types of liquid/liquid contactors are available, only a few meet the stringent specifications set by the nuclear industry. This report discusses the criteria for contactor selection and then reviews the most important types, namely packed columns, pulsed columns, mixer-setters and centrifugal contactors. Finally, a short section concerned with solid/liquid separations is included because of the possible deleterious effects caused by solids in liquid/liquid contactors

Vented nuclear fuel element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguma, M.; Hirose, Y.

1976-01-01

A description is given of a vented nuclear fuel element having a plenum for accumulation of fission product gases and plug means for delaying the release of the fission product gases from the plenum, the plug means comprising a first porous body wettable with a liquid metal and a second porous body non-wettable with the liquid metal, the first porous body being impregnated with the liquid metal and in contact with the liquid metal

Liquid metal-based reconfigurable and stretchable photolithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Daeyoung; Yoo, Jun Hyeon; Lee, Jeong-Bong

2016-01-01

Conventional ultraviolet (UV) lithography typically uses a photomask made of a fused silica plate covered with a layer of UV opaque material such as chromium. The photomask has passive binary patterns of UV opaque and UV transparent regions and the pattern is unalterable. We report a novel real-time dynamically reconfigurable photomask technology using a liquid metal (as a UV opaque material) filled in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, as a UV transparent material) microfluidic channels. We found that the gallium-based liquid metal (e.g. Galinstan ® ) is opaque in broad spectrum of light in the wavelength from 325 nm to 850 nm while the PDMS is highly transparent in this wide range of spectrum. We made both bright field and dark field microfluidic photomasks and transferred various patterns onto a positive photoresist. A 7-segment display microfluidic channel photomask was also fabricated and decimal numerals (from ‘0’ to ‘9’) were patterned with one photomask by dynamically reconfiguring decimal numeral shapes with on-demand injection and withdrawal of the liquid metal in specific segment microfluidic channels in the photomask. In addition, utilizing mechanical flexibility of the PDMS and the liquid metal, reconfiguration of the patterns in a microfluidic photomask under stretching was successfully tested. (paper)

Conference on heat mass transfer and properties of liquid metals TF-2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efanov, A.D.; Kozlov, F.A.

2003-01-01

Results of the conference TF-2002 devoted to the combined approach to problems of harnessing liquid metals as coolants for NPU are presented. The conference takes place in Obninsk, 29 - 31 October, 2002. Papers of the conference involve items on thermal hydraulics, mass transfer and safety of NPU with liquid metal coolants, structure, physical and chemical properties of liquid metal and liquid metal solutions, decommissioning of units and ecology, application of liquid metals divorced with NPU. Most of the papers of the conference are devoted to the investigation into lead and lead-bismuth coolants [ru

Chemistry of liquid metal coolants and sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnanasekaran, T.

2015-01-01

Liquid sodium is the coolant of choice for the current generation fast breeder reactors. When sodium contains low levels of dissolved non-metallic impurities, it is highly compatible with structural steels. When the dissolved oxygen level is high, corrosion and mass transfer in sodium-steel circuits are enhanced and this involves formation of NaxMyOz type of species (M = alloying components in steels). Experience has shown that this enhancement of corrosion in a sodium circuit with all austenitic steel structural materials would not be encountered if oxygen level in sodium is below ~ 5ppm. For understanding this observation, a complete knowledge on the phase diagrams of Na-M-O systems and the thermochemical data of all relevant NaxMyOz compounds is essential. This presentation would highlight the work carried out at IGCAR on the chemistry of liquid sodium and heavy liquid metal coolants. Work carried out on various sensors for their use in these liquid metal circuits would be described and their current status would be discussed

Perspective on Structural Evolution and Relations with Thermophysical Properties of Metallic Liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-Dong; Jiang, Jian-Zhong

2017-11-01

The relationship between the structural evolution and properties of metallic liquids is a long-standing hot issue in condensed-matter physics and materials science. Here, recent progress is reviewed in several fundamental aspects of metallic liquids, including the methods to study their atomic structures, liquid-liquid transition, physical properties, fragility, and their correlations with local structures, together with potential applications of liquid metals at room temperature. Involved with more experimentally and theoretically advanced techniques, these studies provide more in-depth understanding of the structure-property relationship of metallic liquids and promote the design of new metallic materials with superior properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluation of liquid metal protection of a limiter/divertor in fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.M.; Smith, D.L.

1988-01-01

The liquid metal protection concept is proposed mainly to prolong the lifetime of a divertor or a limiter in a fusion reactor. This attractive idea for protection requires studying a wide range of problems associated with the use of liquid-metals in fusion reactors. In this work the protection by liquid-metals has concentrated on predictions of the loss rate of the film to the plasma, the operating surface temperatures required for the film, and the potential tritium inventory requirement. The effect of plasma disruptions on the liquid metal film is also evaluated. Other problems such as liquid metal compatibility with structural materials, magnetic field effects, and the effect of liquid metal contamination on plasma performance are discussed. Three candidate liquid-metals are evaluated, i.e., lithium, gallium, and tin. A wide range of reactor operating conditions valid for both near term machines (INTOR and ITER) and for the next generation commercial reactors (TPSS) are considered. This study has indicated that the evaporation rate for candidate liquid metals can be kept below the sputtering range for reasonable operating temperatures and plasma edge conditions. At higher temperatures, evaporation dominates the losses. Impurity transport calculations indicate that impurities from the plate should not reach the main plasma. One or two millimeters of liquid films can protect the structure from severe plasma disruptions. Depending on the design of the liquid metal protection system, the tritium inventory in the liquid film is predicted to be on the order of a few grams. 16 refs., 5 figs

Recycling of Metal Containing Waste by Liquid-Liquid Extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinhardt, H.

1999-01-01

Through the years, a large number of liquid-liquid extraction have been proposed for metal waste recovery and recycling(1,2). However, few of them have achieved commercial application. In fact, relatively little information is available on practical operation and economic feasibility. This presentation will give complementary information by describing and comparing three processes, based on the Am MAR hydrometallurgical concept and representing three different modes of operation

Conceptual study of a complementary scram system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanmaercke, S.; Van den Eynde, G.; Tijskens, E.; Bartosiewicz, Y.

2009-01-01

GEN-IV reactors promise higher safety and reliability as one of the major improvements over previous generations of reactors. To achieve that, all GEN-IV reactor concepts require two completely independent shutdown systems that rely on different operating principles. For liquid metal cooled reactors the first system is an absorber-rod based solution. The second system that by requirement should rely on another principle, is however quite a challenge to design. The second system used in current PWR reactors is to dissolve a neutron absorber, boric acid, into the primary coolant. This method cannot be used in liquid metal cooled reactors because of the high cost of cleaning the coolant. In this paper an overview of the existing literature on scram systems is given, each with their advantages and limitations. A promising new concept is also presented. This concept leads to a totally passive self activating device using small absorbing particles that flow into a dedicated channel to shutdown the reactor. The system consists of tubes filled with particles of an absorber material. During normal operation, these particles are kept above the active core by means of a metallic seal. In case of an accident, the system is activated by the temperature increase in the coolant. This leads to melting of the metal seal. The ongoing work conducted at SCK·CEN and UCL/TERM aims at assessing the reliability of this new concept both experimentally and numerically. This study is multidisciplinary as neutronic and thermal hydraulics issues are tackled. Most challenging is however the thermal hydraulics related to understanding and predicting the liberation and flow of the absorber particles during a shutdown. Simple experiments are envisaged to compare to numerical simulations using the Discrete Element Method for simulating the particles. In a later stage this will be coupled with Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics for simulating the melting of the seal. Some preliminary experimental and

Performance of metallic fuels in liquid-metal fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, B.R.; Walters, L.C.; Kittel, J.H.

1984-01-01

Interest in metallic fuels for liquid-metal fast reactors has come full circle. Metallic fuels are once again a viable alternative for fast reactors because reactor outlet temperature of interest to industry are well within the range where metallic fuels have demonstrated high burnup and reliable performance. In addition, metallic fuel is very tolerant of off-normal events of its high thermal conductivity and fuel behavior. Futhermore, metallic fuels lend themselves to compact and simplified reprocessing and refabrication technologies, a key feature in a new concept for deployment of fast reactors called the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). The IFR concept is a metallic-fueled pool reactor(s) coupled to an integral-remote reprocessing and fabrication facility. The purpose of this paper is to review recent metallic fuel performance, much of which was tested and proven during the twenty years of EBR-II operation

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Eric M; Aurnou, Jonathan M

2013-04-23

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, Pr rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium (Pr = 0.025) over a range of nondimensional buoyancy forcing (Ra) and rotation periods (E). Our primary diagnostic is the efficiency of convective heat transfer (Nu). In general, we find that the convective behavior of liquid metal differs substantially from that of moderate Pr fluids, such as water. In particular, a transition between rotationally constrained and weakly rotating turbulent states is identified, and this transition differs substantially from that observed in moderate Pr fluids. This difference, we hypothesize, may explain the different classes of magnetic fields observed on the Gas and Ice Giant planets, whose dynamo regions consist of Pr 1 fluids, respectively.

Many-Body Potentials For Binary Immiscible liquid Metal Alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karaguelle, H.

2004-01-01

The modified analytic embedded atom method (MAEAM) type many- body potentials have been constructed for three binary liquid immiscible alloy systems: Al-Pb, Ag-Ni, Ag- Cu. The MAEAM potential functions are fitted to both solid and liquid state properties for only liquid pure metals which consist the immiscible alloy. In order to test the reliability of the constructed MAEAM effective potentials, partial structure factors and pair distribution functions of these binary liquid metal alloys have been calculated using the thermodynamically self-consistent variational modified hypernetted chain (VMHNC) theory of liquids. A good agreement with the available experimental data for structure has

Coolant circulation system for a liquid metal nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLuca, R.A.; Garabedian, G.

1988-01-01

This patent describes a liquid metal circulation system comprising an electromagnetic pump comprised of: (a) an elongated cylindrical pump support housing; (b) a cylindrical pressure dome structure coaxially situated and supported within the pump support housing, having a closed, hemispherical upper end and an open, cylindrical lower end; (c) a cylindrical pump coaxially situated within the pressure dome structure including: (1) a central core body of laminated transformer steel having six peripherally equally spaced helical grooves on its outer surface extending the entire length of the central core body, (2) a multiplicity of square, ceramic insulated copper wires situated in the helical grooves, (3) electrical leads extending from the terminal ends of the square copper wires through the upper end of the pressure dome structure and to a three-phase low voltage/high amperage power source, (4) an austenitic stainless steel jacket covering the outer surface of the central core body and covering the helically coiled square copper wires, the outer stainless steel jacket and the inner surface of the pressure dome structure defining an annular flow passage

Space- and time-resolved resistive measurements of liquid metal wall thickness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirhoseini, S. M. H.; Volpe, F. A., E-mail: fvolpe@columbia.edu [Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 (United States)

2016-11-15

In a fusion reactor internally coated with liquid metal, it will be important to diagnose the thickness of the liquid at various locations in the vessel, as a function of time, and possibly respond to counteract undesired bulging or depletion. The electrical conductance between electrodes immersed in the liquid metal can be used as a simple proxy for the local thickness. Here a matrix of electrodes is shown to provide spatially and temporally resolved measurements of liquid metal thickness in the absence of plasma. First a theory is developed for m × n electrodes, and then it is experimentally demonstrated for 3 × 1 electrodes, as the liquid stands still or is agitated by means of a shaker. The experiments were carried out with Galinstan, but are easily extended to lithium or other liquid metals.

Space- and time-resolved resistive measurements of liquid metal wall thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirhoseini, S. M. H.; Volpe, F. A.

2016-01-01

In a fusion reactor internally coated with liquid metal, it will be important to diagnose the thickness of the liquid at various locations in the vessel, as a function of time, and possibly respond to counteract undesired bulging or depletion. The electrical conductance between electrodes immersed in the liquid metal can be used as a simple proxy for the local thickness. Here a matrix of electrodes is shown to provide spatially and temporally resolved measurements of liquid metal thickness in the absence of plasma. First a theory is developed for m × n electrodes, and then it is experimentally demonstrated for 3 × 1 electrodes, as the liquid stands still or is agitated by means of a shaker. The experiments were carried out with Galinstan, but are easily extended to lithium or other liquid metals.

Thermal behaviors of liquid La-based bulk metallic glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, D. W.; Wang, X. D., E-mail: wangxd@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: jiangjz@zju.edu.cn; Lou, H. B.; Cao, Q. P.; Jiang, J. Z., E-mail: wangxd@zju.edu.cn, E-mail: jiangjz@zju.edu.cn [International Center for New-Structured Materials (ICNSM), Laboratory of New-Structured Materials, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Wang, L. W. [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhang, D. X. [State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2014-12-14

Thermal behaviors of liquid La-based bulk metallic glasses have been measured by using the dilatometer with a self-sealed sample cell. It is demonstrated that the strong glass forming liquid not only has the small thermal expansion coefficient but also shows the slow variation rate. Moreover, the strong glass former has relatively dense atomic packing and also small density change in the liquid state. The results suggest that the high glass forming ability of La-based metallic glasses would be closely related to the slow atomic rearrangements in liquid melts.

Liquid metal reactors. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Power of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, First Session, June 9, 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

This hearing reviews the Liquid Metal Reactor Program of the US DOE, asking the question of whether this program is necessary to the future of nuclear power and whether it has any serious application to the disposal of high-level radioactive waste to justify the probable expense of the program. The liquid metal reactor would rely on plutonium as a fuel, produced by reprocessing of spent fuel wastes or by using the reactor as a breeder. Also discussed are the proliferation risks of a Liquid Metal Reactor. Principal testifiers include: David, Institute for Science and International Security; Barrett and Brolin, DOE; Coops, American Nuclear Society; Kratzer, independent consultant; Lancelot, National Taxpayers Union; Larsen, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union; Till, ANL; von Hippel, Princeton University

Single-magnet rotary flowmeter for liquid metals

OpenAIRE

Priede, Jānis; Buchenau, Dominique; Gerbeth, Gunter

2010-01-01

We present a theory of single-magnet flowmeter for liquid metals and compare it with experimental results. The flowmeter consists of a freely rotating permanent magnet, which is magnetized perpendicularly to the axle it is mounted on. When such a magnet is placed close to a tube carrying liquid metal flow, it rotates so that the driving torque due to the eddy currents induced by the flow is balanced by the braking torque induced by the rotation itself. The equilibrium rotation rate, which var...

Liquid metal degassing in electromagnetic mixing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pakhomov, A I; EHL' -FAVAKHRI, KAMAL' -ABD-RABU MOKHAMED [LENINGRADSKIJ POLITEKHNICHESKIJ INST. (USSR)

1977-01-01

Experimental results for laboratory and industrial conditions are presented showing the favourable effect of electromagnetic mixing on hot metal degassing process. It has been found that the intensity and duration of the mixing process increase with the degree of iron and steel degassing. Initiation of cavitation phenomena during hot metal electromagnetic mixing is intensified because of the presence of alien inclusions in the metal reducing the tensile strength of the liquid metal. This is the most substantial factor contributing to the gas content in the process of electromagnetic mixing.

Recent Advancements in Liquid Metal Flexible Printed Electronics: Properties, Technologies, and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuelin Wang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents an overview on typical properties, technologies, and applications of liquid metal based flexible printed electronics. The core manufacturing material—room-temperature liquid metal, currently mainly represented by gallium and its alloys with the properties of excellent resistivity, enormous bendability, low adhesion, and large surface tension, was focused on in particular. In addition, a series of recently developed printing technologies spanning from personal electronic circuit printing (direct painting or writing, mechanical system printing, mask layer based printing, high-resolution nanoimprinting, etc. to 3D room temperature liquid metal printing is comprehensively reviewed. Applications of these planar or three-dimensional printing technologies and the related liquid metal alloy inks in making flexible electronics, such as electronical components, health care sensors, and other functional devices were discussed. The significantly different adhesions of liquid metal inks on various substrates under different oxidation degrees, weakness of circuits, difficulty of fabricating high-accuracy devices, and low rate of good product—all of which are challenges faced by current liquid metal flexible printed electronics—are discussed. Prospects for liquid metal flexible printed electronics to develop ending user electronics and more extensive applications in the future are given.

Difference in x-ray scattering between metallic and non-metallic liquids due to conduction electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chihara, Junzo

1987-01-01

X-ray scattered intensity from a liquid metal as an electron-ion mixture is described using the structure factors, which are exactly expressed in terms of the static and dynamic direct correlation functions. This intensity for a metal is shown to differ from the usual scattered intensity from a non-metal in two points: the atomic form factor and the incoherent (Compton) scattering factor. It is shown that the valence electron form factor, which constitutes the atomic form factor in a liquid metal, leads to a determination of the electron-electron and electron-ion structure factors by combining the ionic structure factor. It is also shown that a part of the electron structure factor, which appears as the incoherent x-ray scattering, is usually approximated as the electron structure factor of the jellium model in the case of a simple metal. As a by-product, the x-ray scattered intensity from a crystalline metal and the inelastic scattering from a liquid metal are given by taking account of the presence of conduction electrons. In this way, we clarify some confusion which appeared in the proposal by Egelstaff et al for extracting the electron-electron correlation function in a metal from x-ray and neutron scattering experiments. A procedure to extract the electron-electron and electron-ion structure factors in a liquid metal is proposed on the basis of formula for scattered intensity derived here. (author)

Effect of Proton Irradiation on the Corrosion Behaviors of Ferritic/Martensitic Steel in Liquid Metal Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jeonghyeon; Kim, Tae Yong; Kim, Ji Hyun [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) such as sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) are the candidates of GEN-IV nuclear energy systems. Among various liquid metals that can be used as primary coolant material, sodium is a world widely used coolant for GEN-IV reactors. In this study, as-received Gr.92 and irradiated Gr.92 specimen in the oxygen-saturated liquid sodium were examined at high temperature for 300h. The microstructure results reveal the information of the effect of irradiation and effect of the chrome concentration in specimen. From the SRIM result, penetration distance of 40 μm in stainless steel and nominal sample thickness of 30 μm was used to avoid the damage peak and any proton implantation and From the microstructural evaluation, chromium-rich zones existed under the surface of the both of non-irradiated and irradiated materials. The irradiated materials showed chromium-rich zones with larger depths than the non-irradiated specimens.

Mechanical pumps for liquid metals; Pompes mecaniques pour metaux liquides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baumier, J; Gollion, H J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1964-07-01

The pumping of liquid metals by centrifugal pumps poses two principal problems. These are hermetic sealing of the rotating shaft and, its guidance where immersed in liquid metal. The solutions to the problems used on 13 experimental pumps are given here. The resolution of the guidance problem consists in the majority of cases in the utilisation of hydrostatic bearings. Accordingly, a theoretical study was instituted for the first time to calculate the bearings of the earlier pumps. After this, an experimental study was carried out, to check the theory by water tests. A relation for bearing calculation of pumps with diffusers is proposed. Finally the influence of the bearing elasticity on the shafts critical speed is studied. (authors) [French] Le pompage des metaux liquides, par des pompes centrifuges, pose 2 principaux problemes, qui sont: d'une part, la realisation d'une excellente etancheite au passage de l'arbre, d'autre part, son guidage sur la partie immergee dans le metal liquide. Les solutions retenues pour resoudre ces problemes sur 13 pompes experimentees sont presentees. Le probleme du guidage de l'arbre, a dans la majorite des cas ete resolu en utilisant un palier hydrostatique, aussi l'etude en a d'abord ete approfondie de facon theorique pour calculer les paliers des premieres pompes, puis experimentale pour controler la theorie, en effectuant des essais a l'eau. On propose une relation pour calculer les paliers des pompes a diffuseurs. On a en outre effectue une etude de l'influence de l'elasticite du palier hydrostatique sur la vitesse critique de l'arbre. (auteurs)

On-Chip Production of Size-Controllable Liquid Metal Microdroplets Using Acoustic Waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Shi-Yang; Ayan, Bugra; Nama, Nitesh; Bian, Yusheng; Lata, James P; Guo, Xiasheng; Huang, Tony Jun

2016-07-01

Micro- to nanosized droplets of liquid metals, such as eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) and Galinstan, have been used for developing a variety of applications in flexible electronics, sensors, catalysts, and drug delivery systems. Currently used methods for producing micro- to nanosized droplets of such liquid metals possess one or several drawbacks, including the lack in ability to control the size of the produced droplets, mass produce droplets, produce smaller droplet sizes, and miniaturize the system. Here, a novel method is introduced using acoustic wave-induced forces for on-chip production of EGaIn liquid-metal microdroplets with controllable size. The size distribution of liquid metal microdroplets is tuned by controlling the interfacial tension of the metal using either electrochemistry or electrocapillarity in the acoustic field. The developed platform is then used for heavy metal ion detection utilizing the produced liquid metal microdroplets as the working electrode. It is also demonstrated that a significant enhancement of the sensing performance is achieved by introducing acoustic streaming during the electrochemical experiments. The demonstrated technique can be used for developing liquid-metal-based systems for a wide range of applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Single channel double-duct liquid metal electrical generator using a magnetohydrodynamic device

Science.gov (United States)

Haaland, Carsten M.; Deeds, W. Edward

1999-01-01

A single channel double-duct liquid metal electrical generator using a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) device. The single channel device provides useful output AC electric energy. The generator includes a two-cylinder linear-piston engine which drives liquid metal in a single channel looped around one side of the MHD device to form a double-duct contra-flowing liquid metal MHD generator. A flow conduit network and drive mechanism are provided for moving liquid metal with an oscillating flow through a static magnetic field to produce useful AC electric energy at practical voltages and currents. Variable stroke is obtained by controlling the quantity of liquid metal in the channel. High efficiency is obtained over a wide range of frequency and power output.

Spectrographic determination of metallic impurities in organic coolants for nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin Munoz, M.; Alvarez Gonzalez, F.

1969-01-01

A spectrochemical method for determining metallic impurities in organic coolants for nuclear reactors is given. The organic matter in solid samples is eliminated by controlled distillation and dry ashing in the presence of magnesium oxide as carrier. Liquid, samples are vacuum distillated. The residue is analyzed by carrier distillation and by total burning techniques. The analytical results are discussed and compared with those obtained destroying the organic matter without carrier and using the copper spark technique. (Author) 12 refs

Five-fold local symmetry in metallic liquids and glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li M Z; Li F X; Zhang H P; Peng H L; Hu Y C; Wang W H

2017-01-01

The structure of metallic glasses has been a long-standing mystery. Owing to the disordered nature of atomic structures in metallic glasses, it is a great challenge to find a simple structural description, such as periodicity for crystals, for establishing the structure–property relationship in amorphous materials. In this paper, we briefly review the recent developments of the five-fold local symmetry in metallic liquids and glasses and the understanding of the structure–property relationship based on this parameter. Experimental evidence demonstrates that five-fold local symmetry is found to be general in metallic liquids and glasses. Comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations show that the temperature evolution of five-fold local symmetry reflects the structural evolution in glass transition in cooling process, and the structure–property relationship such as relaxation dynamics, dynamic crossover phenomena, glass transition, and mechanical deformation in metallic liquids and glasses can be well understood base on the simple and general structure parameter of five-fold local symmetry. (paper)

Liquid metal-organic frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillac, Romain; Pullumbi, Pluton; Beyer, Kevin A.; Chapman, Karena W.; Keen, David A.; Bennett, Thomas D.; Coudert, François-Xavier

2017-11-01

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a family of chemically diverse materials, with applications in a wide range of fields, covering engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Until recently, research has focused almost entirely on crystalline structures, yet now a clear trend is emerging, shifting the emphasis onto disordered states, including `defective by design’ crystals, as well as amorphous phases such as glasses and gels. Here we introduce a strongly associated MOF liquid, obtained by melting a zeolitic imidazolate framework. We combine in situ variable temperature X-ray, ex situ neutron pair distribution function experiments, and first-principles molecular dynamics simulations to study the melting phenomenon and the nature of the liquid obtained. We demonstrate from structural, dynamical, and thermodynamical information that the chemical configuration, coordinative bonding, and porosity of the parent crystalline framework survive upon formation of the MOF liquid.

Design of self-cooled, liquid-metal blankets for tokamak and tandem mirror reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Y.S.; Gohar, Y.; Hassanein, A.M.; Majumdar, S.; Picologlou, B.F.; Smith, D.L.; Szo, D.K.

1985-01-01

Results of the self-cooled, liquid-metal blanket design from the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study (BCSS) are summarized. The objectives of the BCSS project are to define a small number (about three) of blanket concepts that should be the focus of the blanket research and development (RandD) program, identify and prioritize the critical issues for the leading blanket concepts, and provide technical input necessary to develop a blanket RandD program plan. Two liquid metals (lithium and lithium-lead (17Li-83Pb)) and three structural materials (primary candidate alloy (PCA), ferritic steel (FS) (HT-9), and vanadium alloy (V-15 Cr-5 Ti)) are included in the evaluations for both tokamaks and tandem mirror reactors (TMRs). TMR is of the tube configuration similar to the Mirror Advanced Reactor Study design. Analyses were performed in the following generic areas for each blanket concept: MHD, thermal hydraulics, stress, neutronics, and tritium recovery. Integral analyses were performed to determine the design window for each blanket design. The Li/Li/V blanket for tokamak and the Li/Li/V, LiPb/LiPb/V, and Li/Li/HT-9 blankets for the TMR are judged to be top-rated concepts. Because of its better thermophysical properties and more uniform nuclear heating profile, liquid lithium is a better coolant than liquid 17Li83Pb. From an engineering point of view, vanadium alloy is a better structural material than either FS or PCA since the former has both a higher allowable structural temperature and a higher allowable coolant/structure interface temperature than the latter. Critical feasibility issues and design constraints for the self-cooled, liquid-metal blanket concepts are identified and discussed

Challenges Related to the Use of Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Coolants in Advanced Reactors. Report of the collaborative project COOL of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-05-01

The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was launched in 2000, based on a resolution by the IAEA General Conference (GC(44)/RES/21). INPRO aims at helping to ensure that nuclear energy is available in the twenty-first century in a sustainable manner, and seeks to bring together all interested Member States, both technology holders and technology users, to jointly consider actions to achieve desired innovations. INPRO is taking care of the specific needs of developing countries. One of the aims of INPRO is to develop options for enhanced sustainability through promotion of technical and institutional innovations in nuclear energy technology through collaborative projects among IAEA Member States. Collaboration among INPRO members is fostered on selected innovative nuclear technologies to bridge technology gaps. Collaborative projects have been selected so that they complement other national and international R and D activities. The INPRO Collaborative Project COOL on Investigation of Technological Challenges Related to the Removal of Heat by Liquid Metal and Molten Salt Coolants from Reactor Cores Operating at High Temperatures investigated the technological challenges of cooling reactor cores that operate at high temperatures in advanced fast reactors, high temperature reactors and accelerator driven systems by using liquid metals and molten salts as coolants. The project was initiated in 2008 and was led by India; experts from Brazil, China, Germany, India, Italy and the Republic of Korea participated and provided chapters of this report. The INPRO Collaborative Project COOL addressed the following fields of research regarding liquid metal and molten salt coolants: (i) survey of thermophysical properties; (ii) experimental investigations and computational fluid dynamics studies on thermohydraulics, specifically pressure drop and heat transfer under different operating conditions; (iii) monitoring and control of coolant

Effect of Liquid Ga on Metal Surfaces: Characterization of Morphology and Chemical Composition of Metals Heated in Liquid Ga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun Je Lee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the effect of liquid gallium (Ga on metal foils made of titanium (Ti, niobium (Nb, and molybdenum (Mo. The Ti, Nb, and Mo foils were heated in liquid Ga at 120°C for a maximum of two weeks. After heating, the changes in the morphology and the chemical composition of the metal foils were analyzed by using a field emission scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffractometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The results of the analysis indicated that the Nb foil showed the minimum adhesion of liquid Ga to the surface while the maximum amount of liquid Ga was observed to adhere to the Ti foil. In addition, the Nb foil was oxidized and the Mo foil was reduced during the heating process. Considering these effects, we conclude that Mo may be used as an alternative encapsulation material for Ga in addition to Nb, which is used as the conventional encapsulation material, due to its chemical resistance against oxidation in hot liquid Ga.

Liquid metals. Coexistence line, critical parameters, compressibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, L.P.

1986-01-01

Formulae to calculate four characteristic parameters of liquid metals (density, compressibility, critical temperature and individual parameter) according to four initial data are obtained: two values of vapor density and two values of vapor pressure. Comparison between experimental and calculation results are presented for liquid Cs, Na, Li, K, Rb

Advancing liquid metal reactor technology with nitride fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, W.F.; Baker, R.B.; Leggett, R.D.; Matthews, R.B.

1991-08-01

A review of the use of nitride fuels in liquid metal fast reactors is presented. Past studies indicate that both uranium nitride and uranium/plutonium nitride possess characteristics that may offer enhanced performance, particularly in the area of passive safety. To further quantify these effects, the analysis of a mixed-nitride fuel system utilizing the geometry and power level of the US Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor as a reference is described. 18 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Review of the critical heat flux correlations for liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Bum; Han, H. D.; Chang, W. P.; Kwon, Y. M.

1999-09-01

The CHF phenomenon in the two-phase convective flows has been an important issue in the fields of design and safety analysis of light water reactor (LWR) as well as sodium cooled liquid metal reactor (LMR). Especially in the LWR application, many physical aspects of the CHF phenomenon are understood and reliable correlations and mechanistic models to predict the CHF condition have been proposed over the past three decades. Most of the existing CHF correlations have been developed for light water reactor core applications. Compared with water, liquid metals show a divergent picture of boiling pattern. This can be attributed to the consequence that special CHF conditions obtained from investigations with water cannot be applied to liquid metals. Numerous liquid metal boiling heat transfer and two-phase flow studies have put emphasis on development of models and understanding of the mechanism for improving the CHF predictions. Thus far, no overall analytical solution method has been obtained and the reliable prediction method has remained empirical. The principal objectives of the present report are to review the state of the art in connection with liquid metal critical heat flux under low pressure and low flow conditions and to discuss the basic mechanisms. (author)

CVD refractory metals and alloys for space nuclear power application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, L.; Gulden, T.D.; Watson, J.F.

1984-01-01

CVD technology has made significant contributions to the development of space nuclear power systems during the period 1962 to 1972. For the in-core thermionic concept, CVD technology is essential to the fabrication of the tungsten electron emitter. For the liquid metal cooled fuel pin using uranium nitride as fuel and T-111 and Nb-1 Zr as cladding, a tungsten barrier possibly produced by CVD methods is essential to the fuel-cladding compatibility at the designed operating temperature. Space power reactors may use heat pipes to transfer heat from the reactor core to the conversion system. CVD technology has been used for fabricating the heat pipe used as cross-flow heat exchanger, including the built-in channels on the condenser wall for liquid lithium return. 28 references, 17 figures

A conceptual design strategy for liquid-metal-wall inertial fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsler, M.J.; Meier, W.R.

1981-01-01

The liquid-metal-wall chamber has emerged as an attractive reactor concept for inertial fusion energy conversion. The principal feature of this concept is a thick, free-flowing blanket of liquid metal used to protect the structure of the reactor. The development and design of liquid-metal-wall chambers over the past decade are reviewed from the perspective of formulating a conceptual design strategy for such chambers. The basis for the design strategy is set by enumerating both the attractive and unattractive features of a LMW chamber. Past concepts are then reviewed to identify conceptual design approaches and physical configurations that enhance the positive aspects and minimize the negative aspects. A detailed description of the engineering considerations is given, including such topics as the selection of a liquid metal, control of radiation damage, selection of structural material, control of tritium breeding and extraction, control of wall stress, and designing for a given rep-rate. Finally, a design strategy is formulated which accomodates the engineering constraints while minimizing the liquid-metal flow rate. (orig.)

Modeling of liquid-metal corrosion/deposition in a fusion reactor blanket

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malang, S.; Smith, D.L.

1984-04-01

A model has been developed for the investigation of the liquid-metal corrosion and the corrosion product transport in a liquid-metal-cooled fusion reactor blanket. The model describes the two-dimensional transport of wall material in the liquid-metal flow and is based on the following assumptions: (1) parallel flow in a straight circular tube; (2) transport of wall material perpendicular to the flow direction by diffusion and turbulent exchange; in flow direction by the flow motion only; (3) magnetic field causes uniform velocity profile with thin boundary layer and suppresses turbulent mass exchange; and (4) liquid metal at the interface is saturated with wall material. A computer code based on this model has been used to analyze the corrosion of ferritic steel by lithium lead and the deposition of wall material in the cooler part of a loop. Three cases have been investigated: (1) ANL forced convection corrosion experiment (without magnetic field); (2) corrosion in the MARS liquid-metal-cooled blanket (with magnetic field); and (3) deposition of wall material in the corrosion product cleanup system of the MARS blanket loop

Liquid-solid extraction of metallic cations by cationic amphiphiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Wolfram; Sievers, Torsten K.; Zemb, Thomas; Diat, Olivier; Sievers, Torsten K.; Dejugnat, Christophe

2012-01-01

In the field of selective metal ion separation, liquid-liquid extraction is usually conducted through an emulsion mixing of hydrophobic complexants dispersed in an organic phase and acidic water containing the ionic species. Recently, it has been shown that amphiphilic complexants could influence strongly extraction efficiency by enhancing the interfacial interaction between the metal ion in the aqueous and the complexant in the organic phase. Moreover, these amphiphiles can also substitute the organic phase if an appropriate aliphatic chain is chosen. The dispersion of such amphiphilic complexants in an aqueous solution of salt mixtures is not only attractive for studying specific interactions but also to better the understanding of complex formation in aqueous solution of multivalent metal ions, such as lanthanides and actinides. This understanding is of potential interest for a broad range of industries including purification of rare earth metals and pollute treatment e.g. of fission byproducts. This principle can also be applied to liquid-solid extraction, where the final state of the separation is a solid phase containing the selectively extracted ions. Indeed, a novel solid-liquid extraction method exploits the selective precipitation of metal ions from an aqueous salt mixture using a cationic surfactant, below its Krafft point (temperature below which the long aliphatic chains of surfactant crystallize). This technique has been proven to be highly efficient for the separation of actinides and heavy metal using long chain ammonium or pyridinium amphiphiles. The most important point in this process is the recognition of cationic metal ions by cationic surfactants. By computing the free energy of the polar head group per micelle as a function of the different counter-anions, we have demonstrated for the first time that different interactions exist between the micellar surface and the ions. These interactions depend on the nature of the cation but also on

Radiative proton-capture nuclear processes in metallic hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichimaru, Setsuo

2001-01-01

Protons being the lightest nuclei, metallic hydrogen may exhibit the features of quantum liquids most relevant to enormous enhancement of nuclear reactions; thermonuclear and pycnonuclear rates and associated enhancement factors of radiative proton captures of high-Z nuclei as well as of deuterons are evaluated. Atomic states of high-Z impurities are determined in a way consistent with the equations of state and screening characteristics of the metallic hydrogen. Rates of pycnonuclear p-d reactions are prodigiously high at densities ≥20 g/cm 3 , pressures ≥1 Gbar, and temperatures ≥950 K near the conditions of solidification. It is also predicted that proton captures of nuclei such as C, N, O, and F may take place at considerable rates, owing to strong screening by K-shell electrons, if the densities ≥60-80 g/cm 3 , the pressures ≥7-12 Gbar, and the temperatures just above solidification. The possibilities and significance of pycnonuclear p-d fusion experiments are specifically remarked

Generation and characterization of gas bubbles in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckert, S.; Gerbeth, G.; Witke, W.

1996-01-01

There is an ongoing research performed in the RCR on local transport phenomena in turbulent liquid metal (LM) duct flows exposed to external magnetic fields. In this context so-called MHD flow phenomena can be observed, which are unknown in usual hydraulic engineering. The field of interest covers also the influence of magnetic fields on the behaviour of liquid metal - gas mixtures. Profound knowledge on these LMMHD two-phase flow plays an important role in a variety of technological applications, in particular, in the design of Liquid-Metal MHD generators or for several metallurgical processes employing gas-stirred reactors. However, the highly empirical nature of two-phase flow analysis gives little hope for the prediction of MHD two-phase flows without extensive experimental data. A summary is given about the authors research activities focussing on two directions: (a) Momentum transfer between gas and liquid metal in a bubbly flow regime to investigate the influence of the external magnetic field on the velocity slip ration S (b) Peculiarities of the MHD turbulence to use small gas bubbles as local tracers in order to study the turbulent mass transfer

Dewetting Properties of Metallic Liquid Film on Nanopillared Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiongying; He, Yezeng; Wang, Yong; Dong, Jichen; Li, Hui

2014-01-01

In this work, we report simulation evidence that the graphene surface decorated by carbon nanotube pillars shows strong dewettability, which can give it great advantages in dewetting and detaching metallic nanodroplets on the surfaces. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the ultrathin liquid film first contracts then detaches from the graphene on a time scale of several nanoseconds, as a result of the inertial effect. The detaching velocity is in the order of 10 m/s for the droplet with radii smaller than 50 nm. Moreover, the contracting and detaching behaviors of the liquid film can be effectively controlled by tuning the geometric parameters of the liquid film or pillar. In addition, the temperature effects on the dewetting and detaching of the metallic liquid film are also discussed. Our results show that one can exploit and effectively control the dewetting properties of metallic nanodroplets by decorating the surfaces with nanotube pillars. PMID:24487279

Engineering: Liquid metal pumped at a record temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Lambrinou, Konstantina

2017-10-01

Although liquid metals are effective fluids for heat transfer, pumping them at high temperatures is limited by their corrosiveness to solid metals. A clever pump design addresses this challenge using only ceramics. See Article p.199

Natural convection and boiling heat transfer of a liquid metal in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Masahiro; Kawamura, Hiroshi

1983-02-01

A liquid metal is often assumed as a coolant and a breeding material of a Tokamak fusion reactor. However, many problems on the thermo-hydraulics of a liquid metal in a magnetic field are still remained to be studied. In the present report, natural convection and boiling of a liquid metal in a strong magnetic field are studied to examine a fundamental feasibility of a fusion reactor cooled by a liquid metal. In the experimental study of the natural convection, the circulation of a liquid metal was found to be surpressed even by a magnetic field parallel to the gravity. A numerical study has confirmed the conclusion drawn by the experiment. In the study of boiling heat transfer, stable boiling of a liquid metal has been found also in a strong magnetic field. The burnout heat flux hardly affected by the magnetic field. These indicate a fundamental feasibility of the liquid-metal cooling for a Tokamak fusion reactor. (author)

Melting and liquid structure of polyvalent metal halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tosi, M.P.

1992-08-01

A short review is given of recent progress in determining and understanding liquid structure types and melting mechanisms for halides of polyvalent metals. The nature of the preferred local coordination for the polyvalent metal ion in the melt can usually be ascertained from data on liquid mixtures with halogen-donating alkali halides. The stability of these local coordination states and the connectivity that arises between them in the approach to the pure melt determines the character of its short-range and possible medium-range order. A broad classification of structural and melting behaviours can be given on the basis of measured melting parameters and transport coefficients for many compounds, in combination with the available diffraction data on the liquid structure of several compounds. Correlations have been shown to exist with a simple indicator of the nature of the chemical bond and also with appropriate parameters of ionic models, wherever the latter are usefully applicable for semiquantitative calculations of liquid structure. Consequences on the mechanisms for valence electron localization in solutions of metallic elements into strongly structured molten salts are also briefly discussed. (author). 46 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

Liquid-metal-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuchkov, I.I.; Filonov, V.S.; Zaitsev, B.I.; Artemiev, L.N.; Rakhimov, V.V.

1976-01-01

A liquid-metal-cooled reactor is described comprising two rotatable plugs, one of them, having at least one hole, being arranged internally of the other, a recharging mechanism with a guide tube adapted to be moved through the hole of the first plug by means of a drive, and a device for detecting stacks with leaky fuel elements, the recharging mechanism tube serving as a sampler

Thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals: A brief review of theory

Science.gov (United States)

Stroud, David

1993-01-01

In this paper, we review the current theory of the thermophysical properties of simple liquid metals. The emphasis is on thermodynamic properties, but we also briefly discuss the nonequilibrium properties of liquid metals. We begin by defining a 'simple liquid metal' as one in which the valence electrons interact only weakly with the ionic cores, so that the interaction can be treated by perturbation theory. We then write down the equilibrium Hamiltonian of a liquid metal as a sum of five terms: the bare ion-ion interaction, the electron-electron interaction, the bare electron-ion interaction, and the kinetic energies of electrons and ions. Since the electron-ion interaction can be treated by perturbation, the electronic part contributes in two ways to the Helmholtz free energy: it gives a density-dependent term which is independent of the arrangement of ions, and it acts to screen the ion-ion interaction, giving rise to effective ion-ion pair potentials which are density-dependent, in general. After sketching the form of a typical pair potential, we briefly enumerate some methods for calculating the ionic distribution function and hence the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid: monte Carlo simulations, molecular dynamics simulations, and thermodynamic perturbation theory. The final result is a general expression for the Helmholtz free energy of the liquid metal. It can be used to calculate a wide range of thermodynamic properties of simple metal liquids, which we enumerate. They include not only a range of thermodynamic coefficients of both metals and alloys, but also many aspects of the phase diagram, including freezing curves of pure elements and phase diagrams of liquid alloys (including liquidus and solidus curves). We briefly mention some key discoveries resulting from previous applications of this method, and point out that the same methods work for other materials not normally considered to be liquid metals (such as colloidal suspensions, in which the

Enhanced Endosomal Escape by Light-Fueled Liquid-Metal Transformer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yue; Lin, Yiliang; Chen, Zhaowei; Hu, Quanyin; Liu, Yang; Yu, Shuangjiang; Gao, Wei; Dickey, Michael D; Gu, Zhen

2017-04-12

Effective endosomal escape remains as the "holy grail" for endocytosis-based intracellular drug delivery. To date, most of the endosomal escape strategies rely on small molecules, cationic polymers, or pore-forming proteins, which are often limited by the systemic toxicity and lack of specificity. We describe here a light-fueled liquid-metal transformer for effective endosomal escape-facilitated cargo delivery via a chemical-mechanical process. The nanoscale transformer can be prepared by a simple approach of sonicating a low-toxicity liquid-metal. When coated with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), the resulting nanospheres demonstrate the ability to absorb and convert photoenergy to drive the simultaneous phase separation and morphological transformation of the inner liquid-metal core. The morphological transformation from nanospheres to hollow nanorods with a remarkable change of aspect ratio can physically disrupt the endosomal membrane to promote endosomal escape of payloads. This metal-based nanotransformer equipped with GQDs provides a new strategy for facilitating effective endosomal escape to achieve spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery with enhanced efficacy.

Transient heat transfer phenomena of the liquid metal layer cooled by overlying R113 coolant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, J. S.; Seo, K. R.; Jung, C. H.; Park, R. J.; Kim, S. B.

1999-01-01

To understand the fundamental relationship of the natural convection heat transfer in the molten metal pool and the boiling mechanism of the overlying coolant, experiments were performed for the transient heat transfer of the liquid metal pool with overlying R113 coolant with boiling. The simulant molten pool material is tin (Sn) with the melting temperature of 232 deg C. The metal pool is heated from the bottom surface and the coolant is injected onto the molten metal pool. Tests were conducted by changing the bottom surface boundary condition. The bottom heating condition was varied from 8kW to 14kW. As a result the boiling mechanism of the R113 coolant is changed from the nuclear boiling to film boiling. The Nusselt number and the Rayleigh number in the molten metal pool region obtained as functions of time. Analysis was made for the relationship between the heat flux and the temperature difference of the metal layer surface temperature and the boiling coolant bulk temperature

The Oscillatory Nature of Rotating Convection in Liquid Metal

Science.gov (United States)

Aurnou, J. M.; Bertin, V. L.; Grannan, A. M.

2016-12-01

Earth's magnetic field is assumed to be generated by fluid motions in its liquid metal core. In this fluid, the heat diffuses significantly more than momentum and thus, the ratio of these two diffusivities, the Prandtl number Pr=ν/Κ, is well below unity. The convective flow dynamics of liquid metal is very different from Pr ≈ 1 fluids like water and those used in current dynamo simulations. In order to characterize rapidly rotating thermal convection in low Pr number fluids, we have performed laboratory experiments in a cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr ≈ 0.023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number, which characterizes the effect of rotation, varies from E = 4 10-5 to 4 10-6 and the dimensionless buoyancy forcing (Rayleigh number, Ra) varies from Ra =3 105 to 2 107. Using heat transfer measurements (Nusselt number, Nu) as well as temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes are identified for the first time in liquid metal laboratory experiments. These wall modes coexist with the bulk inertial oscillatory modes. When the strengh of the buoyancy increases, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr ≈ 1 dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, the flows that drive thermally-driven dynamo action in low Pr geophysical and astrophysical fluids can differ substantively than those occuring in current-day Pr ≈ 1 numerical models. In addition, our results suggest that relatively low wavenumber, wall-attached modes may be dynamically important in rapidly-rotating convection in liquid metals.

Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin

Science.gov (United States)

Amy, C.; Budenstein, D.; Bagepalli, M.; England, D.; Deangelis, F.; Wilk, G.; Jarrett, C.; Kelsall, C.; Hirschey, J.; Wen, H.; Chavan, A.; Gilleland, B.; Yuan, C.; Chueh, W. C.; Sandhage, K. H.; Kawajiri, Y.; Henry, A.

2017-10-01

Heat is fundamental to power generation and many industrial processes, and is most useful at high temperatures because it can be converted more efficiently to other types of energy. However, efficient transportation, storage and conversion of heat at extreme temperatures (more than about 1,300 kelvin) is impractical for many applications. Liquid metals can be very effective media for transferring heat at high temperatures, but liquid-metal pumping has been limited by the corrosion of metal infrastructures. Here we demonstrate a ceramic, mechanical pump that can be used to continuously circulate liquid tin at temperatures of around 1,473-1,673 kelvin. Our approach to liquid-metal pumping is enabled by the use of ceramics for the mechanical and sealing components, but owing to the brittle nature of ceramics their use requires careful engineering. Our set-up enables effective heat transfer using a liquid at previously unattainable temperatures, and could be used for thermal storage and transport, electric power production, and chemical or materials processing.

Gallium-Based Room-Temperature Liquid Metals: Actuation and Manipulation of Droplets and Flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leily Majidi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Gallium-based room-temperature liquid metals possess extremely valuable properties, such as low toxicity, low vapor pressure, and high thermal and electrical conductivity enabling them to become suitable substitutes for mercury and beyond in wide range of applications. When exposed to air, a native oxide layer forms on the surface of gallium-based liquid metals which mechanically stabilizes the liquid. By removing or reconstructing the oxide skin, shape and state of liquid metal droplets and flows can be manipulated/actuated desirably. This can occur manually or in the presence/absence of a magnetic/electric field. These methods lead to numerous useful applications such as soft electronics, reconfigurable devices, and soft robots. In this mini-review, we summarize the most recent progresses achieved on liquid metal droplet generation and actuation of gallium-based liquid metals with/without an external force.

Steam generation device with heat exchange between a liquid metal coolant and the feedwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malaval, C.

1983-01-01

The invention is particularly applicable to a liquid metal fast breeder reactor plant, the liquid metal being sodium. The steam generation device is described in detail, it allows to get an upper liquid metal level without turbulence and an easier passage for the shock wave towards the steam generator up to the liquid metal level without being laterally reflected back to the intermediate heat exchangers [fr

Analysis of the stability of native oxide films at liquid lead/metal interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesueur, C.; Chatain, D.; Gas, P.; Bergman, C.; Baque, F.

2002-01-01

The interface between liquid lead and different metallic solids (pure metals: Al, Fe and Ni, and T91 steel) was investigated below 400 deg C under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) by wetting experiments. The aim was to check the physical stability of native oxide films grown at the surface of the substrates, along a contact with liquid lead. Two types of metallic substrates were used: i) conventional bulk polycrystals, and ii) nanocrystalline films obtained by e-beam evaporation under UHV. The actual contact between liquid lead and the solid substrates was achieved by preparing lead drops in-situ. Wetting experiments were performed using sessile drop and/or liquid bridge methods. Fresh solid surfaces and former liquid/solid interfaces can be explored by squeezing and stretching a liquid lead bridge formed between two parallel and horizontal substrates. It is shown that the contact with liquid lead produces the detachment of the native oxide films grown on the metallic solids. It is concluded that if oxide coatings are needed to protect a metallic solid from attack by liquid lead, they should be self-renewable. (authors)

Effects of loading variables on fatigue-crack growth in liquid-metal environments

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fernandes, PJL

1995-10-01

Full Text Available Liquid-metal-induced embrittlement (LMIE) refers to the loss of ductility in normally ductile metals and alloys when stressed while in contact with a liquid metal. In this study, the fatigue crack growth behaviour of brass in molten gallium...

The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Arnold, W.H.; Griffith, J.D.

1988-01-01

The US Liquid Metal Reactor Development Program has been restructured to take advantage of the opportunity today to carry out R and D on truly advanced reactor technology. The program gives particular emphasis to improvements to reactor safety. The new directions are based on the technology of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR). Much of the basis for superior safety performance using IFR technology has been experimentally verified and aggressive programs continue in EBR-II and TREAT. Progress has been made in demonstrating both the metallic fuel and the new electrochemical processes of the IFR. The FFTF facility is converting to metallic fuel; however, FFTF also maintains a considerable US program in oxide fuels. In addition, generic programs are continuing in steam generator testing, materials development, and, with international cooperation, aqueous reprocessing. Design studies are carried out in conjunction with the IFR technology development program. In summary, the US maintains an active development program in Liquid Metal Reactor technology, and new directions in reactor safety are central to the program

Nitrogen injection in stagnant liquid metal. Eulerian-Eulerian and VOF calculations by fluent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pena, A.; Esteban, G.A.

2004-01-01

High power spallation sources are devices that can be very useful in different fields, as medicine, material science, and also in the Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS). This devices use Heavy Liquid Metals (HLM) as the spallation target. Furthermore, HLM are thought to be the coolant of those big energy sources produced by the process. Fast breeder reactors, advanced nuclear reactors, as well as the future designs of fusion reactors, also consider HLM as targets or coolants. Gas injection in liquid metal flows allows the enhancement of this coolant circulation. The difference in densities between the gas and the liquid metal is a big challenge for the multiphase models implemented in the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes. Also the changing shape of the bubbles involves extra difficulties in the calculations. A N 2 flow in stagnant Lead-Bismuth eutectic (Pb-Bi), experiment available at Forschungszentrum Rossendorf e.V (FZR) in Germany, was used in one of the work-packages of the ASCHLIM project (EU contract number FIKW-CT-2001-80121). In this paper, calculations made by the UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country) show measuring data compared with numerical results using the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code FLUENT and two multiphase models: the Eulerian-Eulerian and the Volume of Fluid (VOF). The interpretation of the experimental resulting velocities was difficult, because some parameters were not known, bubble trajectory and bubble shape, for example, as direct optical methods cannot be used, like it is done with water experiments. (author)

Draining device in an emergency holding floor for leaked liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, Hiroto.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To automatically discharge leaked liquid metals rapidly to a damping tank in LMFBR type reactors, by the provision of freeze-seal mechanisms having materials capable of being fused due to the heat of the leaked liquid metals to a catching pan for leaked liquid metals. Constitution: A freeze seal pot having a double seal against other liquid by the provision of a freeze seal material fusible by the heat of the leaked metallic sodium and a downwardly opening cup-like inner cylinder closed by a rupturing plate to be ruptured by heat or pressure is provided to the catching pot of a catching tank. A drain pipe connecting by way of a pot to the damping tank is connected to the pan. Accordingly, if the seal member is fused due to the heat of the leaked liquid sodium, the rupturing plate is ruptured due to the decrease in the strength by the heat of the leaked liquid sodium and by the pressure, whereby leaked liquid sodium is automatically discharged into the damping tank rapidly and safely, and the temperature increase in the concrete materials is reduced as compared with the case of cooling the concrete by covering with liners. (Seki, T.)

Proofs of cluster formation and transitions in liquid metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, E.S.

1985-01-01

Calculational and experimental proofs are presented indicating to existence of clusters in liquid metals and alloys. Systems of liquid alloys both on the base of ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals (Fe-C, Ni-C, Co-C, Fe-Ni, Ni-Mo, Co-Cr, Co-V as well as In-Sn, Bi-Sn, Si-Ge and others) are studied experimentally. It is shown that the general feature of the systems studied is sensitivity of a volume to change in structure, to replacement fcc structure on bcc or to initiation-dissociation of intermetallic compounds AxBy. It is shown that both in pure liquid metals and in their.alloys there are clusters as ordered aggregate of atoms

Nuclear Energy and Synthetic Liquid Transportation Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Richard

2012-10-01

This talk will propose a plan to combine nuclear reactors with the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process to produce synthetic carbon-neutral liquid transportation fuels from sea water. These fuels can be formed from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide in sea water and will burn to water and carbon dioxide in a cycle powered by nuclear reactors. The F-T process was developed nearly 100 years ago as a method of synthesizing liquid fuels from coal. This process presently provides commercial liquid fuels in South Africa, Malaysia, and Qatar, mainly using natural gas as a feedstock. Nuclear energy can be used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen as well as to extract carbon dioxide from sea water using ion exchange technology. The carbon dioxide and hydrogen react to form synthesis gas, the mixture needed at the beginning of the F-T process. Following further refining, the products, typically diesel and Jet-A, can use existing infrastructure and can power conventional engines with little or no modification. We can then use these carbon-neutral liquid fuels conveniently long into the future with few adverse environmental impacts.

Determination of Surface Properties of Liquid Transition Metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korkmaz, S. D.

2008-01-01

Certain surface properties of liquid simple metals are reported. Using the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers we investigated the surface entropy of liquid transition metals namely Fe, Co and Ni. We have also computed surface tensions of the metals concerned. The pair distribution functions are calculated from the solution of Ornstein-Zernike integral equation with Rogers-Young closure using the individual version of the electron-ion potential proposed by Fioalhais and coworkers which was originally developed for solid state. The predicted values of surface tension and surface entropy are in very good agreement with available experimental data. The present study results show that the expression derived by Gosh and coworkers is very useful for the surface entropy by using Fioalhais pseudopotential and Rogers-Young closure

Liquid-metal pin-fin pressure drop by correlation in cross flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhibi; Kuzay, T.M.; Assoufid, L.

1994-01-01

The pin-fin configuration is widely used as a heat transfer enhancement method in high-heat-flux applications. Recently, the pin-fin design with liquid-metal coolant was also applied to synchrotron-radiation beamline devices. This paper investigates the pressure drop in a pin-post design beamline mirror with liquid gallium as the coolant. Because the pin-post configuration is a relatively new concept, information in literature about pin-post mirrors or crystals is rare, and information about the pressure drop in pin-post mirrors with liquid metal as the coolant is even more sparse. Due to this the authors considered the cross flow in cylinder-array geometry, which is very similar to that of the pin-post, to examine the pressure drop correlation with liquid metals over pin fins. The cross flow of fluid with various fluid characteristics or properties through a tube bank was studied so that the results can be scaled to the pin-fin geometry with liquid metal as the coolant. Study lead to two major variables to influence the pressure drop: fluid properties, viscosity and density, and the relative length of the posts. Correlation of the pressure drop between long and short posts and the prediction of the pressure drop of liquid metal in the pin-post mirror and comparison with an existing experiment are addressed

Liquid structure and melting of trivalent metal chlorides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tosi, M.P.; Pastore, G.; Saboungi, M.L.; Price, D.L.

1991-03-01

Many divalent and trivalent metal ions in stoichiometric liquid mixtures of their halides with alkali halides are fourfold or sixfold coordinated by halogens into relatively long-lived ''complexes''. The stability of these local coordination states and the connectivity that arises between them in the approach to the pure polyvalent metal halide melt determines the character of its short-range and possible intermediate-range order. The available evidence on local coordination in some 140 mixtures has been successfully classified by a structure sorting method based on Pettifor's chemical scale of the elements. Within the general phenomenological frame provided by structure sorting, main attention is given in this work to the liquid structure and melting mechanisms of trivalent metal chlorides. The liquid structure of YCl 3 is first discussed on the basis of neutron diffraction measurements and of calculations within a simple ionic model, and the melting mechanisms of YCl 3 and AlCl 3 , which are structurally isomorphous in the crystalline state, are contrasted. By appeal to macroscopic melting parameters and transport coefficients and to liquid structure data on SbCl 3 , it is proposed that the melting mechanisms of these salts may be classified into three main types in correlation with the character of the chemical bond. (author). 31 refs, 1 fig., 3 tabs

Manipulation of Biomolecule-Modified Liquid-Metal Blobs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yue; Miyako, Eijiro

2017-10-23

Soft and deformable liquid metals (LMs) are building components in various systems related to uncertain and dynamic task environments. Herein we describe the development of a biomolecule-triggered external-manipulation method involving LM conjugates for the construction of future innovative soft robotics operating in physiological environments. Functional soft hybrids composed of a liquid-metal droplet, a thiolated ligand, and proteins were synthesized for the expression of diverse macroscopic commands, such as attachment to cells, binary fusion, and self-propelled movement through molecular recognition and enzymatic reactions. Our technology could be used to create new state-of-the-art soft robots for chemical and biomedical engineering applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ionic liquid-modified metal sulfides/graphene oxide nanocomposites for photoelectric conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Yù; Pei, Qi; Feng, Ting; Mao, Hui; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Shuyao; Liu, Daliang; Wang, Hongyu; Song, Xi-Ming

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Metal sulfide (CdS, ZnS, Ag 2 S)/GO nanocomposites were prepared by electrostatic adherence. • Ionic liquid was used to link the metal sulfide and GO in the electrostatic adherence process. • The as-prepared samples showed enhanced photocurrent and highly efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: Ionic liquid-modified metal sulfides/graphene oxide nanocomposites are prepared via a facile electrostatic adsorption. Ionic liquid (IL) is firstly used as surface modifier and structure-directing agent of metal sulfide (MS) crystallization process, obtaining ionic liquid modified-MS (IL-MS) nanoparticles with positive charges on surface. IL-MS/GO is obtained by electrostatic adherence between positively charged IL-MS and negatively charged graphene oxide (GO). The as-prepared sample shows enhanced photocurrent and highly efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation, indicating IL-MS/GO nanocomposites greatly promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs

Assessment of Electromagnetic Stirrer Agitated Liquid Metal Flows by Dynamic Neutron Radiography

Science.gov (United States)

Ščepanskis, Mihails; Sarma, Mārtiņš; Vontobel, Peter; Trtik, Pavel; Thomsen, Knud; Jakovičs, Andris; Beinerts, Toms

2017-04-01

This paper presents qualitative and quantitative characterization of two-phase liquid metal flows agitated by the stirrer on rotating permanent magnets. The stirrer was designed to fulfill various eddy flows, which may have different rates of solid particle entrapment from the liquid surface and their homogenization. The flow was characterized by visualization of the tailored tracer particles by means of dynamic neutron radiography, an experimental method well suited for liquid metal flows due to low opacity of some metals for neutrons. The rather high temporal resolution of the image acquisition (32 Hz image acquisition rate) allows for the quantitative investigation of the flows up to 30 cm/s using neutron particle image velocimetry. In situ visualization of the two-phase liquid metal flow is also demonstrated.

Alternative route to metal halide free ionic liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takao, Koichiro; Ikeda, Yasuhisa

2008-01-01

An alternative synthetic route to metal halide free ionic liquids using trialkyloxonium salt is proposed. Utility of this synthetic route has been demonstrated by preparing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid through the reaction between 1-methylimidazole and triethyloxonium tetra-fluoroborate in anhydrous ether. (author)

Liquid metal current collector applications and material compatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, S.L.; Stevens, H.O.

1978-01-01

The objective of this paper has been to summarize briefly the material considerations involved in the development of liquid metal current collectors for homopolar machinery applications. A significant amount of data in this regard has been obtained over the last several years by individual researchers for NaK exposure conditions. However, NaK material compatibility data over the entire time and temperature range of interest is highly desirable. At DTNSRDC, a 300 kW superconducting homopolar motor and generator are under test, both utilizing free surface tongue-and-groove current collectors with NaK as the working fluid. In addition to demonstrating the feasibility of other aspects of machine design, the intention is to use these machines as vehicles for testing of the several liquid metal current collector concepts which are considered worthwhile candidates for incorporation in future full-scale machines. It is likely that the optimal collector approach for a large low speed motor may be quite different from that for a smaller high speed generator, possibly involving the use of different liquid metals

Visualization and measurement of liquid velocity field of gas-liquid metal two-phase flow using neutron radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Yasushi; Suzuki, Tohru; Matsubayashi, Masahito

2000-01-01

In a core melt accident of a fast breeder reactor, a possibility of re-criticality is anticipated in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool. One of the mechanisms to suppress the re-criticality is the boiling of steel in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool because of the negative void reactivity effect. To evaluate the reactivity change due to boiling, it is necessary to know the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in the molten fuel-steel mixture pool. For this purpose, boiling bubbles in a molten fuel-steel mixture pool were simulated by adiabatic gas bubbles in a liquid metal pool to study the basic characteristics of gas-liquid metal two-phase mixture. Visualization of the two-phase mixture and measurements of liquid phase velocity and void fraction were conducted by using neutron radiography and image processing techniques. From these measurements, the basic characteristics of gas-liquid metal two-phase mixture were clarified. (author)

Stability analysis for single-phase liquid metal rectangular natural circulation loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Daogang; Zhang, Xun; Guo, Chao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The stability for asymmetric liquid metal natural circulation loops is analyzed. • The Na and NaK loops have higher critical Reynolds number than Pb and LBE loops. • Decreasing the ratio of height to width of loop can increase loop stability. • The length of heater would not affect the loop stability obviously. • Adding the length or heat transfer coefficient of cooler can increase loop stability. - Abstract: Natural circulation systems are preferred in some advanced nuclear power plants as they can simplify the designs and improve the inherent safety. The stability and steady-state characteristics of natural circulation are important for the applications of natural circulation loops (NCLs). A linear stability analysis method was used to study the stability behavior of liquid metal NCLs. The influences of the types of working fluids and loop geometry parameters on the stability of NCLs were evaluated. The liquid sodium (Na) loop and sodium–potassium alloy (NaK) loop would be more stable than lead bismuth eutectics (LBE) loop. The pressure drop could stabilize the loop behavior and also lead an increase of operating temperature for the loop. The NCL with a lower aspect ratio (ratio of vertical center distance between the heating and cooling section to the horizontal length of loop) is supposed to be more stable. It was found that the length of heating section would not have an obvious effect on the stability of NCL. However, the loop behavior could be stabilized by adding the length or heat transfer coefficient of the cooling section

Technology which led to the westinghouse inherently safe liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.E.; Coffield, R.D.; Doncals, R.A.; Kalinowski, J.E.; Markley, R.A.

1985-01-01

The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and the Clinch River Breeder Reactor programs resulted in an understanding of liquid metal reactor behavior that is being used to design inherent safety capability into liquid metal reactors. Technological advances give the same beneficial operating characteristics of conventional liquid metal reactors, however, the addition of inherently safe design features precludes the initiation of hypothetical core disruptive accidents. These innovative features permit inherent safety capability to be demonstrated with more than adequate margins. Also, the variety of inherent safety features provides the designers with options in selecting inherent design features for a specific reactor application

Liquid metal MHD research and development in Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Branover, H.

1993-01-01

The study of liquid metal MHD in Israel commenced in 1973. Initially it was concentrated mainly on laminar flows influenced by external magnetic fields. In 1978 a liquid metal MHD energy conversion program was started. This program was developed at the Center for MHD Studies at Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, with the participation of specialists from the Technion, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Atomic Energy Commission, and others. The program was sponsored initially by the Israel Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and later by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Since 1980, Solmecs, a private commercial company has become a major factor in the development of liquid metal MHD in Israel. From the very beginning the program was based on broad international cooperation. A number of overseas institutions and individuals became participants in the program. Through extensive research and evaluation of a number of concepts of liquid metal MHD power generation systems, It was established that the most promising concept, demanding a relatively short period of development, is the gravitational system using heavy metals (lead, lead alloys) as the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid and steam or gases as thermodynamic fluids. This concept was chosen for further development and industrial application, and the program related to such systems was named the Etgar Program. The main directions of research and development activities have been defined as follows: investigations of physical phenomena, development of universal numerical code for parametric studies, optimization and design of the system, material studies, development of engineering components, building and testing of integrated small-scale Etgar type systems, economic evaluation of the system and comparison with conventional technologies, development of moderate scale industrial demonstration plant. At this time 6 items have been fully implemented and activities on the last item were started. (author)

Advanced nuclear reactor and nuclear fusion power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-04-01

This book comprised of two issues. The first one is a advanced nuclear reactor which describes nuclear fuel cycle and advanced nuclear reactor like liquid-metal reactor, advanced converter, HTR and extra advanced nuclear reactors. The second one is nuclear fusion for generation energy, which explains practical conditions for nuclear fusion, principle of multiple magnetic field, current situation of research on nuclear fusion, conception for nuclear fusion reactor and economics on nuclear fusion reactor.

Nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humphreys, P.; Davidson, D.F.; Thatcher, G.

1980-01-01

The cooling system of a liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactor of the pool kind is described. It has an intermediate heat exchange module comprising a tube-in-shell heat exchanger and an electromagnetic flow coupler in the base region of the module. Primary coolant is flowed through the heat exchanger being driven by electromagnetic interaction with secondary liquid metal coolant flow effected by a mechanical pump. (author)

Stretchable Metamaterial Absorber Using Liquid Metal-Filled Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyeongseob Kim

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A stretchable metamaterial absorber is proposed in this study. The stretchability was achieved by liquid metal and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS. To inject liquid metal, microfluidic channels were fabricated using PDMS powers and microfluidic-channel frames, which were built using a three-dimensional printer. A top conductive pattern and ground plane were designed after considering the easy injection of liquid metal. The proposed metamaterial absorber comprises three layers of PDMS substrate. The top layer is for the top conductive pattern, and the bottom layer is for the meandered ground plane. Flat PDMS layers were inserted between the top and bottom PDMS layers. The measured absorptivity of the fabricated absorber was 97.8% at 18.5 GHz, and the absorption frequency increased from 18.5 to 18.65 GHz as the absorber was stretched from its original length (5.2 cm to 6.4 cm.

Demonstrating electromagnetic control of free-surface, liquid-metal flows relevant to fusion reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Hvasta, M. G.; Kolemen, E.; Fisher, A. E.; Ji, H.

2018-01-01

Plasma-facing components (PFC’s) made from solid materials may not be able to withstand the large heat and particle fluxes that will be produced within next-generation fusion reactors. To address the shortcomings of solid PFC’s, a variety of liquid-metal (LM) PFC concepts have been proposed. Many of the suggested LM-PFC designs rely on electromagnetic restraint (Lorentz force) to keep free-surface, liquid-metal flows adhered to the interior surfaces of a fusion reactor. However, there is very little, if any, experimental data demonstrating that free-surface, LM-PFC’s can actually be electromagnetically controlled. Therefore, in this study, electrical currents were injected into a free-surface liquid-metal that was flowing through a uniform magnetic field. The resultant Lorentz force generated within the liquid-metal affected the velocity and depth of the flow in a controllable manner that closely matched theoretical predictions. These results show the promise of electromagnetic control for LM-PFC’s and suggest that electromagnetic control could be further developed to adjust liquid-metal nozzle output, prevent splashing within a tokamak, and alter heat transfer properties for a wide-range of liquid-metal systems.

Investigation of Liquid Metal Embrittlement of Materials for use in Fusion Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Daniel; Jaworski, Michael

2014-10-01

Liquid metals can provide a continually replenished material for the first wall and extraction blankets of fusion reactors. However, research has shown that solid metal surfaces will experience embrittlement when exposed to liquid metals under stress. Therefore, it is important to understand the changes in structural strength of the solid metal materials and test different surface treatments that can limit embrittlement. Research was conducted to design and build an apparatus for exposing solid metal samples to liquid metal under high stress and temperature. The apparatus design, results of tensile testing, and surface imaging of fractured samples will be presented. This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships Program (SULI).

Numerical simulation of turbulent forced convection in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vodret, S; Di Maio, D Vitale; Caruso, G

2014-01-01

In the frame of the future generation of nuclear reactors, liquid metals are foreseen to be used as a primary coolant. Liquid metals are characterized by a very low Prandtl number due to their very high heat diffusivity. As such, they do not meet the so-called Reynolds analogy which assumes a complete similarity between the momentum and the thermal boundary layers via the use of the turbulent Prandtl number. Particularly, in the case of industrial fluid-dynamic calculations where a resolved computation near walls could be extremely time consuming and could need very large computational resources, the use of the classical wall function approach could lead to an inaccurate description of the temperature profile close to the wall. The first aim of the present study is to investigate the ability of a well- established commercial code (ANSYS FLUENT v.14) to deal with this issue, validating a suitable expression for the turbulent Prandtl number. Moreover, a thermal wall-function developed at Universite Catholique de Louvain has been implemented in FLUENT and validated, overcoming the limits of the solver to define it directly. Both the resolved and unresolved approaches have been carried out for a channel flow case and assessed against available direct numerical and large eddy simulations. A comparison between the numerically evaluated Nusselt number and the main correlations available in the literature has been also carried out. Finally, an application of the proposed methodology to a typical sub-channel case has been performed, comparing the results with literature correlations for tube banks

Blanket of a hybrid thermonuclear reactor with liquid- metal cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terent'ev, I.K.; Fedorovich, E.P.; Paramonov, P.M.; Zhokhov, K.A.

1982-01-01

Blanket design of a hybrid thermopuclear reactor with a liquid metal coolant is described. To decrease MHD-resistance for uranium zone fuel elements a cylindrical shape is suggested and movement of liquid-metal coolant in fuel element packets is presumed to be in perpendicular to the magnetic field and fuel element axes direction. The first wall is cooled by water, blanket-by lithium-lead alloy

Liquid metal fast reactor transient design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horak, C.; Purvis, E. III

2000-01-01

An examination has been made of how the currently available computing capabilities could be used to reduce Liquid Metal Fast Reactor design, manufacturing, and construction cost. While the examination focused on computer analyses some other promising means to reduce costs were also examined. (author)

Quasiparticles and Fermi liquid behaviour in an organic metal

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, T.; Chainani, A.; Yamamoto, H.M.; Miyazaki, T.; Akimoto, T.; Shimojima, T.; Ishizaka, K.; Watanabe, S.; Chen, C.-T.; Fukaya, A.; Kato, R.; Shin, S.

2012-01-01

Many organic metals display exotic properties such as superconductivity, spin-charge separation and so on and have been described as quasi-one-dimensional Luttinger liquids. However, a genuine Fermi liquid behaviour with quasiparticles and Fermi surfaces have not been reported to date for any organic metal. Here, we report the experimental Fermi surface and band structure of an organic metal (BEDT-TTF)3Br(pBIB) obtained using angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, and show its consistency with first-principles band structure calculations. Our results reveal a quasiparticle renormalization at low energy scales (effective mass m*=1.9 me) and ω2 dependence of the imaginary part of the self energy, limited by a kink at ~50 meV arising from coupling to molecular vibrations. The study unambiguously proves that (BEDT-TTF)3Br(pBIB) is a quasi-2D organic Fermi liquid with a Fermi surface consistent with Shubnikov-de Haas results. PMID:23011143

Experimental study of liquid-metal target designs of accelerating-controlled systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iarmonov, Mikhail; Makhov, Kirill; Novozhilova, Olga; Meluzov, A.G.; Beznosov, A.V.

2011-01-01

Models of a liquid-metal target of an accelerator-controlled system have been experimentally studied at the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University to develop an optimal design of the flow part of the target. The main explored variants of liquid-metal targets are: Design with a diaphragm (firm-and-impervious plug) mounted on the pipe tap of particle transport from the accelerator cavity to the working cavity of the liquid-metal target. Design without a diaphragm on the pipe tab of particle transport from the accelerator. The study was carried out in a high-temperature liquid-metal test bench under the conditions close to full-scale ones: the temperature of the eutectic lead-bismuth alloy was 260degC - 400degC, the coolant mass flow was 5-80 t/h, and the rarefaction in the gas cavity was 10 5 Pa, the coefficient of geometric similarity equal to 1. The experimental studies of hydrodynamic characteristics of flow parts in the designs of targets under full-scale conditions indicated high efficiency of a target in triggering, operating, and deactivating modes. Research and technology instructions for designs of the flow part of the liquid-metal target, the target design as a whole, and the target circuit of accelerator-controlled systems were formulated as a result of the studies. (author)

US/DOE Man-Machine Integration program for liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Zmura, A.P.; Seeman, S.E.

1985-03-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) Man-Machine Integration program was started in 1980 as an addition to the existing Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor safety base technology program. The overall goal of the DOE program is to enhance the operational safety of liquid metal reactors by optimum integration of humans and machines in the overall reactor plant system and by application of the principles of human-factors engineering to the design of equipment, subsystems, facilities, operational aids, procedures and environments. In the four years since its inception the program has concentrated on understanding the control process for Liquid Metal Reactors (LMRs) and on applying advanced computer concepts to this process. This paper describes the products that have been developed in this program, present computer-related programs, and plans for the future

Linking structure to fragility in bulk metallic glass-forming liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Shuai; Stolpe, Moritz; Gross, Oliver; Gallino, Isabella; Hembree, William; Busch, Ralf; Evenson, Zach; Bednarcik, Jozef; Kruzic, Jamie J.

2015-01-01

Using in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering, we show that the structural evolution of various bulk metallic glass-forming liquids can be quantitatively connected to their viscosity behavior in the supercooled liquid near T g . The structural signature of fragility is identified as the temperature dependence of local dilatation on distinct key atomic length scales. A more fragile behavior results from a more pronounced thermally induced dilatation of the structure on a length scale of about 3 to 4 atomic diameters, coupled with shallower temperature dependence of structural changes in the nearest neighbor environment. These findings shed light on the structural origin of viscous slowdown during undercooling of bulk metallic glass-forming liquids and demonstrate the promise of predicting the properties of bulk metallic glasses from the atomic scale structure

Linking structure to fragility in bulk metallic glass-forming liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Shuai, E-mail: shuai.wei@asu.edu, E-mail: m.stolpe@mx.uni-saarland.de [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 (United States); Stolpe, Moritz, E-mail: shuai.wei@asu.edu, E-mail: m.stolpe@mx.uni-saarland.de; Gross, Oliver; Gallino, Isabella; Hembree, William; Busch, Ralf [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Evenson, Zach [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, Campus C63, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Institut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), 51170 Köln (Germany); Bednarcik, Jozef [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany); Kruzic, Jamie J. [Material Science, School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 (United States)

2015-05-04

Using in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering, we show that the structural evolution of various bulk metallic glass-forming liquids can be quantitatively connected to their viscosity behavior in the supercooled liquid near T{sub g}. The structural signature of fragility is identified as the temperature dependence of local dilatation on distinct key atomic length scales. A more fragile behavior results from a more pronounced thermally induced dilatation of the structure on a length scale of about 3 to 4 atomic diameters, coupled with shallower temperature dependence of structural changes in the nearest neighbor environment. These findings shed light on the structural origin of viscous slowdown during undercooling of bulk metallic glass-forming liquids and demonstrate the promise of predicting the properties of bulk metallic glasses from the atomic scale structure.

Metal-deactivating additives for liquid fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boneva, M.I. [Institute of Organic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ivanov, S.K.; Kalitchin, Z.D. [SciBulCom, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Tanielyan, S.K. [Seton Hall Univ., South Orange, NJ (United States); Terebenina, A.; Todorova, O.I. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1995-05-01

The metal-deactivating and the antioxidant properties of 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolone-5 derivatives have been investigated both in the model reaction of low temperature oxidation of ethylbenzene and in gasoline oxidation. The study of the ability of these derivatives to reduce the catalytic effect of copper naphthenate demonstrates that they are promising as metal deactivating additives for light fuels. Some of the pyrazolone compounds appear to be of special interest for the long-term storage of liquid fuels due to their action as multifunctional inhibitors.

Measurement of Liquid-Metal Two-Phase Flow with a Dynamic Neutron Radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, J. E.; Lim, I. C.; Kim, H. R.; Kim, C. M.; Nam, H. Y.; Saito, Y.

2005-01-01

The dynamic neutron radiography(DNR) has complementary characteristics to X-ray radiography and is suitable to visualization and measurement of a multi-phase flow research in a metallic duct and liquid metal flow. The flow-field information of liquid metal system is very important for the safety analysis of fast breeder reactor and the design of the spallation target of accelerator driven system. A DNR technique was applied to visualize the flow field in the gas-liquid metal two-phase flow with the HANARO-beam facility. The lead bismuth eutectic and the nitrogen gas were used to construct the two-phase flow field in the natural circulation U-channel. The two-phase flow images in the riser were taken at various combinations of the liquid flow and gas flow with high frame-rate neutron radiography at 1000 fps

Development of oxygen sensors for use in liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi; Ejenstam, Jesper; Szakalos, Peter

2015-01-01

For generation IV reactor concepts, based on liquid metal cooling, there is a need for robust oxygen sensors which can be used in the core of the reactor since corrosion can only be kept sufficiently low by controlling the dissolved oxygen content in the liquid metal. A robust, ceramic membrane type sensor has been developed at IFE/Halden (Norway) and tested in an autoclave system at KTH (Sweden). The sensor has been tested in lead-bismuth at 550 deg. C and performed well. (authors)

Development of oxygen sensors for use in liquid metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi [Institutt for Energiteknikk, Halden, (Norway); Ejenstam, Jesper; Szakalos, Peter [KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Division of Surface and Corrosion Science, Stockholm, (Sweden)

2015-07-01

For generation IV reactor concepts, based on liquid metal cooling, there is a need for robust oxygen sensors which can be used in the core of the reactor since corrosion can only be kept sufficiently low by controlling the dissolved oxygen content in the liquid metal. A robust, ceramic membrane type sensor has been developed at IFE/Halden (Norway) and tested in an autoclave system at KTH (Sweden). The sensor has been tested in lead-bismuth at 550 deg. C and performed well. (authors)

3-D printing of liquid metals for stretchable and flexible conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Trlica, Chris; Parekh, Dishit Paresh; Panich, Lazar; Ladd, Collin; Dickey, Michael D.

2014-06-01

3-D printing is an emerging technology that has been used primarily on small scales for rapid prototyping, but which could also herald a wider movement towards decentralized, highly customizable manufacturing. Polymers are the most common materials to be 3-D printed today, but there is great demand for a way to easily print metals. Existing techniques for 3-D printing metals tend to be expensive and energy-intensive, and usually require high temperatures or pressures, making them incompatible with polymers, organics, soft materials, and biological materials. Here, we describe room temperature liquid metals as complements to polymers for 3-D printing applications. These metals enable the fabrication of soft, flexible, and stretchable devices. We survey potential room temperature liquid metal candidates and describe the benefits of gallium and its alloys for these purposes. We demonstrate the direct printing of a liquid gallium alloy in both 2-D and 3-D and highlight the structures and shapes that can be fabricated using these processes.

Oscillatory Convection in Rotating Liquid Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Vincent; Grannan, Alex; Aurnou, Jonathan

2016-11-01

We have performed laboratory experiments in a aspect ratio Γ = 2 cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr = 0 . 023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number varies from E = 4 ×10-5 to 4 ×10-6 and the Rayleigh number varies from Ra = 3 ×105 to 2 ×107 . Using heat transfer and temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes develop, coexisting with the inertial oscillatory modes in the bulk. When the strength of the buoyancy increases further, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr = 1 planetary and stellar dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, convection driven dynamo action in low Pr fluids can differ substantively than that occurring in typical Pr = 1 numerical models. Our results also suggest that low wavenumber, wall modes may be dynamically and observationally important in liquid metal dynamo systems. We thank the NSF Geophysics Program for support of this project.

Method of shielding a liquid-metal-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayre, R.K.

1978-01-01

The primary heat transport system of a nuclear reactor - particularly for a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder reactor - is shielded and protected from leakage by establishing and maintaining a bed of a powdered oxide closely and completely surrounding all components thereof by passing a gas upwardly therethrough at such a rate as to slightly expand the bed to the extent that the components of the system are able to expand without damage and yet the particles of a the bed remain close enough so that the bed acts as a guard vessel for the system. Preferably the gas contains 1 to 10% oxygen and the gas is passed upwardly through the bed at such a rate that the lower portion of the bed is a fixed bed while the upper portion is a fluidized bed, the line of demarcation therebetween being high enough that the fixed bed portion of the bed serves as guard vessel for the system

Liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, S.

1976-01-01

Reference is made to liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors of the 'pool' kind. In this type of reactor the irradiated fuel is lowered into a transfer rotor for removal to storage facilities, this rotor normally having provision for the temporary storage of 20 irradiated fuel assemblies, each within a stainless steel bucket. For insertion or withdrawal of a fuel assembly the rotor is rotated to bring the fuel assembly to a loading or discharging station. The irradiated fuel assembly is withdrawn from the rotor within its bucket and the total weight is approximately 1000 kg, which is lifted about 27 m. In the event of malfunction the combination falls back into the rotor with considerable force. In order to prevent damage to the rotor fracture pins are provided, and to prevent damage to the reactor vessel and other parts of the reactor structure deformable energy absorbing devices are provided. After a malfunction the fractured pins and the energy absorbing devices must be replaced by remote control means operated from outside the reactor vault - a complex operation. The object of the arrangement described is to provide improved energy absorbing means for fuel assemblies falling into a fuel transfer rotor. The fuel assemblies are supported in the rotor by elastic means during transfer to storage and a hydraulic dash pot is provided in at least one position below the rotor for absorbing the energy of a falling fuel assembly. It is preferable to provide dash pots immediately below a receiving station for irradiated fuel assemblies and immediately below a discharge station. Each bucket is carried in a container that is elastically supported in the transfer rotor on a helical coil compression spring, so that, in the event of a malfunction the container and bucket are returned to their normal operating position after the force of the falling load has been absorbed by the dash pot. The transfer rotor may also be provided with recoil springs to absorb the recoil energy

Utility industry evaluation of the metal fuel facility and metal fuel performance for liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burstein, S.; Gibbons, J.P.; High, M.D.; O'Boyle, D.R.; Pickens, T.A.; Pilmer, D.F.; Tomonto, J.R.; Weinberg, C.J.

1990-02-01

A team of utility industry representatives evaluated the liquid metal reactor metal fuel process and facility conceptual design being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) under Department of Energy sponsorship. The utility team concluded that a highly competent ANL team was making impressive progress in developing high performance advanced metal fuel and an economic processing and fabrication technology. The utility team concluded that the potential benefits of advanced metal fuel justified the development program, but that, at this early stage, there are considerable uncertainties in predicting the net overall economic benefit of metal fuel. Specific comments and recommendations are provided as a contribution towards enhancing the development program. 6 refs

Application of insoluble tannin to recovery of uranium, TRU and heavy metals elements form radioactive liquid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamaguchi, Kazuhiko; Shirato, Wataru; Nakamura, Yasuo; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takeshita, Kenji; Nakano, Yoshio

1999-01-01

Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd. (MNF) has developed a new adsorbent, TANNIX (tread mark), for the recovery of uranium, TRU and heavy metal elements in the liquid waste, in which TANNIX derived from a natural tannin polymer. TANNIX has same advantages that handling is easier than that of standard IX-resin, and that the volume of secondary waste is reduced by burning the used TANNIX. We have replaced its radioactive liquid waste treatment system from the conventional co-precipitation process to adsorption process by using TANNIX. TANNIX was founded to be more effective for the recovery of Pu, TRU, and hexavalent chromium Cr-(VI) as well as Uranium. (author)

Recent advances in liquid membranes and their applications in nuclear waste processing: an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shukla, J P; Iyer, R H [Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

1994-06-01

Membrane extraction, combining the processes of extraction, scrubbing and stripping in a single step, demonstrates the inherent capability of solvent extraction under non-equilibrium conditions. Permeant transport across various liquid membrane (LM) configurations, viz. bulk liquid, emulsion liquid and supported liquid membranes has great potential for applications in the nuclear field particularly in the decontamination of low and medium level radioactive wastes. Potential practical applications of such membranes have also been envisaged in the recovery of metals from hydrometallurgical leach solutions and in plutonium and americium removal from nitric acid waste streams generated by plutonium recovery operations in the PUREX process. Studies carried out have established that minor actinides like uranium, plutonium and americium from process effluents can easily be transported across polymeric and liquid type membranes through the use of specific ionophores dissolved in an appropriate liquid membrane phase. The possibility of the membrane extraction of fission palladium from acidic wastes has also been demonstrated by the use of some soft bases. An overview of these results and also some of the recent radiochemical applications of energy - efficient LM processes including directions for future research are outlined in this paper. (author). 19 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

Solubility of uranium in liquid gallium, indium and their alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkovich, Vladimir A.; Maltsev, Dmitry S.; Yamschikov, Leonid F.; Osipenko, Alexander G.; Kormilitsyn, Mikhail V.

2014-01-01

Pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels (SNF) employing molten salts and liquid metals as working media is considered as a possible alternative to the existing liquid extraction (PUREX) processes. Liquid salts and metals allow reprocessing highly irradiated high burn-up fuels with short cooling times, including the fuels of fast neutron reactors. Pyrochemical technology opens a way to practical realization of short closed fuel cycle. Liquid low-melting metals are immiscible with molten salts and can be effectively used for separation (or selective extraction) of SNF components dissolved in fused salts. Binary or ternary alloys of eutectic compositions can be employed to lower the melting point of the metallic phase. However, the information on SNF components behaviour and properties in ternary liquid metal alloys is very scarce

The DSNP simulation language and its application to liquid-metal fast breeder reactor transient analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saphier, D.; Madell, J.T.

1982-01-01

A new, special purpose block-oriented simulation language, the Dynamic Simulator for Nuclear Power Plants (DSNP), was used to perform a dynamic analysis of several conceptual design studies of liquid metal fast breeder reactors. The DSNP being a high level language enables the user to transform a power plant flow chart directly into a simulation program using a small number of DSNP statements. In addition to the language statements, the DSNP system has its own precompiler and an extensive library containing models of power plant components, algorithms of physical processes, material property functions, and various auxiliary functions. The comparative analysis covered oxide-fueled versus metal-fueled core designs and loop- versus pool-type reactors. The question of interest was the rate of change of the temperatures in the components in the upper plenum and the primary loop, in particular the reactor outlet nozzle and the intermediate heat exchanger inlet nozzle during different types of transients. From the simulations performed it can be concluded that metal-fueled cores will have much faster temperature transients than oxide-fueled cores due mainly to the much higher thermal diffusivity of the metal fuel. The transients in the pool-type design (either with oxide fuel or metal fuel) will be much slower than in the loop-type design due to the large heat capacity of the sodium pool. The DSNP language was demonstrated to be well suited to perform many types of transient analysis in nuclear power plants

Secondary coolant circuit for liquid-metal cooled reactor and steam generator for such a circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brachet, A.; Figuet, J.; Guidez, J.; Lions, N.; Traiteur, R.; Zuber, T.

1984-01-01

An upper buffer tank and downstream buffer tank are disposed inside the steam generators. The downstream briffer tank is annular and it surrounds and communicates with a zone of the steam generator through which the liquid metal flows towards the bottom between the exchange zone and the outlet nozzle. The pressure of the inert gas blanket in the downstream buffer volume is more important than this one in the upper buffer volume. The invention applies to fast neutron nuclear reactor cooled by sodium [fr

Temperature-dependent thermo-elastic properties of s-, p- and d-block liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, R.N.; Arafin, S.; George, A.K.

2007-01-01

Thermodynamic relations involving experimentally known physical quantities are used to determine the ratio of specific heats, γ, for s-block (Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg), d-block (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg,) and p-block (Al, Ga, In, Tl, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, Se, Te) liquid metals. γ is further utilized to determine reliable values for the isothermal compressibility (κ T ) and the specific heat at constant volume (C V ) for these liquid metals near and above the melting temperatures. These data are of considerable significance for various thermo-physical analysis of liquid metals. We have also evaluated the Grueneisen function and its temperature dependence to establish the correlation between the thermal expansion and the elastic response to thermally induced stress. The values of acoustic impedance for liquid metals are evaluated and its physical significance is discussed for the transmission of elastic waves across metallic interfaces

The solubility of metals in Pb-17Li liquid alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgstedt, H.U.; Feuerstein, H.

1992-01-01

The solubility data of iron in the eutectic alloy Pb-17Li which were evaluated from corrosion tests in a turbulent flow of the molten alloy are discussed in the frame of solubilities of the transition metals in liquid lead. It is shown that the solubility of iron in the alloy is close to that in lead. This is also the fact for several other alloying elements of steels. A comparison of all known data shows that they are in agreement with generally shown trends for the solubility of the transition metals in low melting metals. These trends indicate comparably high solubilities of nickel and manganese in the liquid metals, lower saturation concentration of vanadium, chromium, iron, and cobalt, and extremely low solubility of molybdenum. (orig.)

Normal spectral emissivity of selected liquid metals and improved thermophysical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pottlacher, G.; Seifter, A.

2001-01-01

Full Text: Emissivity measurements on several liquid metals up to temperatures of 6000 K have been successfully established by linking a laser polarimetry technique to our well-known method for performing high speed measurements of thermophysical properties on liquid metal samples during microsecond pulse-heating experiments. Thermophysical properties measured with our experimental setup include temperature dependencies of heat capacity, enthalpy, electrical resistivity, density, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity up to the end of the stable liquid phase. During grant P12775-PHY additionally to the above listened properties the measurement of the change of the polarization of laser light reflected from the surface during pulse heating was enabled and thus now the temperature dependence of spectral emissivity at 684.5 nm by methods of ellipsometry is derived also. Several liquid metals and alloys have been investigated within this grant and a review of the data obtained will be given here. (author)

Two cylinder permanent magnet stirrer for liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bojarevičs, A.; Baranovskis, R.; Kaldre, I.; Milgrāvis, M.; Beinerts, T.

2017-07-01

To achieve a uniform liquid metal composition and temperature distribution, stirring is often necessary for industrial processes. Here, a novel permanent magnet system for liquid melt stirring is proposed. It promises very low energy consumption and options for multiple different flow types compared to traditional travelling magnetic field inductors or mechanical stirrers. The proposed system has a simple design: it consists of two rotating permanent magnet cylinders, which are magnetized transversely to the axis of the cylinders. The experimental device was developed and tested under various regimes using GaInSn alloy in a cylindrical crucible. Aluminum stirring by permanent magnets in laboratory scale is tested, and stirring impact on directional solidification of metallic alloys is experimentally investigated.

Apparatus for controlling coolant level in a liquid-metal-cooled nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, R.D.

1978-01-01

A liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder reactor which has a thermal liner spaced inwardly of the pressure vessel and includes means for passing bypass coolant through the annulus between the thermal liner and the pressure vessel to insulate the pressure vessel from hot outlet coolant includes control ports in the thermal liner a short distance below the normal operating coolant level in the reactor and an overflow nozzle in the pressure vessel below the control ports connected to an overflow line including a portion at an elevation such that overflow coolant flow is established when the coolant level in the reactor is above the top of the coolant ports. When no makeup coolant is added, bypass flow is inwardly through the control ports and there is no overflow; when makeup coolant is being added, coolant flow through the overflow line will maintain the coolant level

Apparatus for controlling coolant level in a liquid-metal-cooled nuclear reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Robert D.

1978-01-01

A liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder reactor which has a thermal liner spaced inwardly of the pressure vessel and includes means for passing bypass coolant through the annulus between the thermal liner and the pressure vessel to insulate the pressure vessel from hot outlet coolant includes control ports in the thermal liner a short distance below the normal operating coolant level in the reactor and an overflow nozzle in the pressure vessel below the control ports connected to an overflow line including a portion at an elevation such that overflow coolant flow is established when the coolant level in the reactor is above the top of the coolant ports. When no makeup coolant is added, bypass flow is inwardly through the control ports and there is no overflow; when makeup coolant is being added, coolant flow through the overflow line will maintain the coolant level.

Controlled in-situ dissolution of an alkali metal

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Jeffrey Donald; Dooley, Kirk John; Tolman, David Donald

2012-09-11

A method for the controllable dissolution of one or more alkali metals from a vessel containing a one or more alkali metals and/or one or more partially passivated alkali metals. The vessel preferably comprising a sodium, NaK or other alkali metal-cooled nuclear reactor that has been used. The alkali metal, preferably sodium, potassium or a combination thereof, in the vessel is exposed to a treatment liquid, preferably an acidic liquid, more preferably citric acid. Preferably, the treatment liquid is maintained in continuous motion relative to any surface of unreacted alkali metal with which the treatment liquid is in contact. The treatment liquid is preferably pumped into the vessel containing the one or more alkali metals and the resulting fluid is extracted and optionally further processed. Preferably, the resulting off-gases are processed by an off-gas treatment system and the resulting liquids are processed by a liquid disposal system. In one preferred embodiment, an inert gas is pumped into the vessel along with the treatment liquid.

Diversion analysis and safeguards measures for liquid metal fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persiani, P.J.

1981-10-01

The general objective of the study is to perform a diversion analysis and an assessment of the available safeguards methods and systems for verifying inventory and flow of nuclear material in accessible and inaccessible areas of liquid-metal fast breeder reactor, LMFBR, systems. The study focuses primarily on the assembly-handling operations, assembly storage facilities, and reactor operations facilities relating to existing and/or near-term planned experimental, demonstration and prototypal reactor plants. The safeguards systems and methods presented are considered to be feasible for development and for implementation within the resource limitation of the IAEA and are considered to be consistent with the objectives, requirements, and constraints of the IAEA as outlined in the IAEA documents INFCIRC/153 and INFCIRC/66-Rev-2

A large economic liquid metal reactor for United States utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodwell, E.

1985-01-01

The United States has demonstrated its ability to build and operate small and medium sized liquid metal reactors and continues to operate the Experimental Breeder Reactor II and the Fast Flux Test Facility to demonstrate long life fuel designs. Similar-sized liquid metal reactors in Europe have been followed by a step-up to the 1200 MWe capacity of the Superphenix plant. To permit the United States to make a similar step-up in capacity, a 1320 MWe liquid metal reactor plant has been designed with the main emphasis on minimizing the specific capital cost in order to be competitive with light water reactor plant and fossil plant alternatives. The design is based on a four parallel heat transport loops arrangement and complies with current regulatory requirements. The primary heat transport loops are now being integrated into the reactor vessel to achieve further reduction in the capital cost

Protected Lithium-Metal Anodes in Batteries: From Liquid to Solid.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chunpeng; Fu, Kun; Zhang, Ying; Hitz, Emily; Hu, Liangbing

2017-09-01

High-energy lithium-metal batteries are among the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. With a high specific capacity and a low reduction potential, the Li-metal anode has attracted extensive interest for decades. Dendritic Li formation, uncontrolled interfacial reactions, and huge volume effect are major hurdles to the commercial application of Li-metal anodes. Recent studies have shown that the performance and safety of Li-metal anodes can be significantly improved via organic electrolyte modification, Li-metal interface protection, Li-electrode framework design, separator coating, and so on. Superior to the liquid electrolytes, solid-state electrolytes are considered able to inhibit problematic Li dendrites and build safe solid Li-metal batteries. Inspired by the bright prospects of solid Li-metal batteries, increasing efforts have been devoted to overcoming the obstacles of solid Li-metal batteries, such as low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and Li-electrolyte interfacial problems. Here, the approaches to protect Li-metal anodes from liquid batteries to solid-state batteries are outlined and analyzed in detail. Perspectives regarding the strategies for developing Li-metal anodes are discussed to facilitate the practical application of Li-metal batteries. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On the self-diffusion process in liquid metals and alloys by the radioactive tracer method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganovici, L.

1978-01-01

A theoretical and experimental study of self-diffusion process in liquid metals and alloys is presented. There are only a few pure metals for which diffusion coefficients in a liquid state are known. The thesis aims at increasing the number of liquid metals for which diffusion coefficients are available, by determining these values for liquids: Cd, Tl, Sb and Te. The self-diffusion coefficients of Te in some tellurium based liquid alloys such as Tl 2 Te, PbTe and Bi 90 Te 10 were also determined. Self-diffusion coefficients have been measured using two radioactive tracer methods: a) the capillary-reservoir method; b) the semi-infinite capillary method. The self-diffusion coefficients were derived from the measured radioactive concentration profile, using the solutions of Fick's second law for appropriate initial and limit conditions. The temperature dependence study of self-diffusion coefficients in liquids Cd, Tl, Sb and Te, was used to check some theoretical models on the diffusion mechanism in metallic melts. The experimental diffusion data interpreted in terms of the Arrhenius type temperature dependence, was used to propose two simple empiric relations for determining self diffusion coefficients of group I liquid metals and for liquid semi-metals. It was established a marked decrease of self-diffusion coefficients of liquid Te close to the solidification temperature. The diffusivity of Te in liquid Tl 2 Te points to an important decrease close to the solidification temperature. A simplified model was proposed for the diffusion structural unit in this alloy and the hard sphere model for liquid metals was checked by comparing the theoretical and experimental self-diffusion coefficients. (author)

Spectrographic determination of metallic impurities in organic coolants for nuclear reactors; Determinacion espectrografica de impurezas metalicas en refrigerantes organicos para reactores nucleares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin Munoz, M; Alvarez Gonzalez, F

1969-07-01

A spectrochemical method for determining metallic impurities in organic coolants for nuclear reactors is given. The organic matter in solid samples is eliminated by controlled distillation and dry ashing in the presence of magnesium oxide as carrier. Liquid, samples are vacuum distillated. The residue is analyzed by carrier distillation and by total burning techniques. The analytical results are discussed and compared with those obtained destroying the organic matter without carrier and using the copper spark technique. (Author) 12 refs.

Steady-state natural circulation analysis with computational fluid dynamic codes of a liquid metal-cooled accelerator driven system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abanades, A.; Pena, A.

2009-01-01

A new innovative nuclear installation is under research in the nuclear community for its potential application to nuclear waste management and, above all, for its capability to enhance the sustainability of nuclear energy in the future as component of a new nuclear fuel cycle in which its efficiency in terms of primary Uranium ore profit and radioactive waste generation will be improved. Such new nuclear installations are called accelerator driven system (ADS) and are the result of a profitable symbiosis between accelerator technology, high-energy physics and reactor technology. Many ADS concepts are based on the utilization of heavy liquid metal (HLM) coolants due to its neutronic and thermo-physical properties. Moreover, such coolants permit the operation in free circulation mode, one of the main aims of passive systems. In this paper, such operation regime is analysed in a proposed ADS design applying computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Development of a risk-based inservice inspection program for a liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, R.W.; Buschman, H.W.

1996-01-01

The emerging application of risk-based assessment technology to the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants holds considerable promise for improving efficiency and reducing operating costs. EBR-II is liquid-metal-cooled fast reactor which operated for thirty years before shutting down in September 1994 due to program termination. Prior to the shutdown of EBR-II, an in-service inspection (ISI) program was developed that exploited certain advantages of the liquid-metal reactor design, e.g., demonstrated passive response to plant upset events, low pressure primary coolant and compatibility of the coolant and reactor materials. Many of the systems cannot be inspected due to inaccessibility of the components. However, application of a risk-based approach provided the basis for reducing or eliminating inspections in some areas that would otherwise be required. Development and implementation of the risk-based ISI program was interrupted by the DOE-mandated shutdown of EBR-II, so the potential benefits of this approach in terms of reduced O and M costs have yet to be realized. Through the development of this program, however it is clear that there is potential for substantial cost-savings while improving the risk-profile of the facility through this approach

Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation

Science.gov (United States)

Bhave, Ramesh R; DeBusk, Melanie M; DelCul, Guillermo D; Delmau, Laetitia H; Narula, Chaitanya K

2015-04-07

A system and method for the extraction of americium from radioactive waste solutions. The method includes the transfer of highly oxidized americium from an acidic aqueous feed solution through an immobilized liquid membrane to an organic receiving solvent, for example tributyl phosphate. The immobilized liquid membrane includes porous support and separating layers loaded with tributyl phosphate. The extracted solution is subsequently stripped of americium and recycled at the immobilized liquid membrane as neat tributyl phosphate for the continuous extraction of americium. The sequestered americium can be used as a nuclear fuel, a nuclear fuel component or a radiation source, and the remaining constituent elements in the aqueous feed solution can be stored in glassified waste forms substantially free of americium.

Report on generation IV technical working group 3 : liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M. J.; Rosen, S. L.; Sagayama, Y.

2002-01-01

This paper reports on the first round of R and D roadmap activities of the Generation IV (Gen IV) Technical Working Group (TWG) 3, on liquid metal-cooled reactors. Liquid metal coolants give rise to fast spectrum systems, and thus the reactor systems considered in this TWG are all fast reactors. Gas-cooled fast reactors are considered in the context of TWG 2. As is noted in other Gen IV papers, this first round activity is termed ''screening for potential'', and includes collecting the most complete set of liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle system concepts possible and evaluating the concepts against the Gen IV principles and goals. Those concepts or concept groups that meet the Gen IV principles and which are deemed to have reasonable potential to meet the Gen IV goals will pass to the next round of evaluation. Although we sometimes use the terms ''reactor'' or ''reactor system'' by themselves, the scope of the investigation by TWG 3 includes not only the reactor systems, but very importantly the closed fuel recycle system inevitably required by fast reactors. The response to the DOE Request for Information (RFI) on liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle systems from principal investigators, laboratories, corporations, and other institutions, was robust and gratifying. Thirty three liquid metal concept descriptions, from eight different countries, were ultimately received. The variation in the scope, depth, and completeness of the responses created a significant challenge for the group, but the TWG made a very significant effort not to screen out concepts early in the process

Designing Kitaev Spin Liquids in Metal-Organic Frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Masahiko G.; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Oshikawa, Masaki

2017-08-01

Kitaev's honeycomb lattice spin model is a remarkable exactly solvable model, which has a particular type of spin liquid (Kitaev spin liquid) as the ground state. Although its possible realization in iridates and α -RuCl3 has been vigorously discussed recently, these materials have substantial non-Kitaev direct exchange interactions and do not have a spin liquid ground state. We propose metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with Ru3 + (or Os3 + ), forming the honeycomb lattice as promising candidates for a more ideal realization of Kitaev-type spin models, where the direct exchange interaction is strongly suppressed. The great flexibility of MOFs allows generalization to other three-dimensional lattices for the potential realization of a variety of spin liquids, such as a Weyl spin liquid.

Liquid Metals as Plasma-facing Materials for Fusion Energy Systems: From Atoms to Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, Howard A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Koel, Bruce E. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Bernasek, Steven L. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Carter, Emily A. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Debenedetti, Pablo G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States); Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

2017-06-23

The objective of our studies was to advance our fundamental understanding of liquid metals as plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems, with a broad scope: from atoms to tokamaks. The flow of liquid metals offers solutions to significant problems of the plasma-facing materials for fusion energy systems. Candidate metals include lithium, tin, gallium, and their eutectic combinations. However, such liquid metal solutions can only be designed efficiently if a range of scientific and engineering issues are resolved that require advances in fundamental fluid dynamics, materials science and surface science. In our research we investigated a range of significant and timely problems relevant to current and proposed engineering designs for fusion reactors, including high-heat flux configurations that are being considered by leading fusion energy groups world-wide. Using experimental and theoretical tools spanning atomistic to continuum descriptions of liquid metals, and bridging surface chemistry, wetting/dewetting and flow, our research has advanced the science and engineering of fusion energy materials and systems. Specifically, we developed a combined experimental and theoretical program to investigate flows of liquid metals in fusion-relevant geometries, including equilibrium and stability of thin-film flows, e.g. wetting and dewetting, effects of electromagnetic and thermocapillary fields on liquid metal thin-film flows, and how chemical interactions and the properties of the surface are influenced by impurities and in turn affect the surface wetting characteristics, the surface tension, and its gradients. Because high-heat flux configurations produce evaporation and sputtering, which forces rearrangement of the liquid, and any dewetting exposes the substrate to damage from the plasma, our studies addressed such evaporatively driven liquid flows and measured and simulated properties of the different bulk phases and material interfaces. The range of our studies

[Applications of atomic emission spectrum from liquid electrode discharge to metal ion detection].

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Xiu-Ling; Wu, Jian; Ying, Yi-Bin

2010-02-01

The fast and precise detection of metal ion is an important research project concerning studies in diverse academic fields and different kinds of detecting technologies. In the present paper, the authors review the research on atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge and its applications in the detection of metal ion. In the first part of this paper the principles and characteristics of the methods based on electrochemistry and spectroscopy were introduced. The methods of ion-selective electrode (ISE), anodic stripping voltammetry, atomic emission spectrum and atomic absorption spectrum were included in this part and discussed comparatively. Then the principles and characteristics of liquid electrode spectra for metal ion detection were introduced. The mechanism of the plasma production and the characteristics of the plasma spectrum as well as its advantages compared with other methods were discussed. Secondly, the authors divided the discharge system into two types and named them single liquid-electrode discharge and double-liquid electrode respectively, according to the number of the liquid electrode and the configuration of the discharge system, and the development as well as the present research status of each type was illustrated. Then the characteristics and configurations of the discharge systems including ECGD, SCGD, LS-APGD and capillary discharge were discussed in detail as examples of the two types. By taking advantage of the technology of atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge, the detecting limit of heavy metals such as copper, mercury and argent as well as active metal ions including sodium, potass and magnesium can achieve microg x L(-1). Finally, the advantages and problems of the liquid-electrode discharge applied in detection of metal ion were discussed. And the applications of the atomic emission spectrum based on liquid electrode discharge were prospected.

Structural effects on fusion reactor blankets due to liquid metals in magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehner, J.R.; Reich, M.; Powell, J.R.

1976-01-01

The transient stress distribution caused in the blanket structure when the plasma current suddenly switches off in a time short compared to the L/R decay time of the liquid metal blanket was studied. Poloidal field of the plasma will induce a current to flow in the liquid metal and blanket walls. Since the resistance of the liquid lithium will be much less than that of the metal walls, the current can be considered as flowing around the blanket near the cross section perimeter, but in the lithium

Thermal expansion of metals over the entire liquid range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaner, J.W.

1977-01-01

This paper reviews the current state of the art for measuring liquid metal densities. Conventional high precision techniques for use below 2000K as well as new techniques for more extreme temperatures are addressed. Pertinent data, which have appeared since the last critical reviews, for elemental metals are discussed

Current liquid metal cooled fast reactor concepts: use of the dry reprocess fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jee Won; Jeong, C. J.; Yang, M. S.

2003-03-01

Recent Liquid metal cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) concepts are reviewed for investigating the potential usability of the Dry Reprocess Fuel (DRF). The LFRs have been categorized into two different types: the sodium cooled and the lead cooled systems. In each category, overall design and engineering concepts are collected which includes those of S-PRISM, AFR300, STAR, ENHS and more. Specially, the nuclear fuel types which can be used in these LFRs, have been summarized and their thermal, physical and neutronic characteristics are tabulated. This study does not suggest the best-matching LFR for the DRF, but shows good possibility that the DRF fuel can be used in future LFRs

Current liquid metal cooled fast reactor concepts: use of the dry reprocess fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jee Won; Jeong, C. J.; Yang, M. S

2003-03-01

Recent Liquid metal cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) concepts are reviewed for investigating the potential usability of the Dry Reprocess Fuel (DRF). The LFRs have been categorized into two different types: the sodium cooled and the lead cooled systems. In each category, overall design and engineering concepts are collected which includes those of S-PRISM, AFR300, STAR, ENHS and more. Specially, the nuclear fuel types which can be used in these LFRs, have been summarized and their thermal, physical and neutronic characteristics are tabulated. This study does not suggest the best-matching LFR for the DRF, but shows good possibility that the DRF fuel can be used in future LFRs.

Numerical simulation on single bubble rising behavior in liquid metal using moving particle semi-implicit method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Juanli; Tian Wenxi; Qiu Suizheng; Chen Ronghua; Su Guanghui

2011-01-01

The gas-lift pump in liquid metal cooling fast reactor (LMFR) is an innovational conceptual design to enhance the natural circulation ability of reactor core. The two-phase flow character of gas-liquid metal makes significant improvement of the natural circulation capacity and reactor safety. In present basic study, the rising behavior of a single nitrogen bubble in five kinds of liquid metals (lead bismuth alloy, liquid kalium, sodium, potassium sodium alloy and lithium lead alloy) was numerically simulated using moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method. The whole growing process of single nitrogen bubble in liquid metal was captured. The bubble shape and rising speed of single nitrogen bubble in each liquid metal were compared. The comparison between simulation results using MPS method and Grace graphical correlation shows a good agreement. (authors)

Liquid level detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, A.P.; Pendleton, J.R.

1982-01-01

A device is described for locating the level of the liquid metal in a sodium cooled nuclear reactor by using a movable probe equipped to signal a phase change with null on arrival at the interface between two conductively differing media. (U.K.)

Immersion apparatus and process for an ultrasonic transducer in a liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Baud, P.

1987-01-01

The ultrasonic transducer is introduced in a casing. The coupling zone of the transducer is covered by a layer of liquid metal. This layer is solidified and then the transducer with his coating layer is introduced in the liquid metal under an inert atmosphere. The device for immersing the transducer is claimed [fr

Experimental evidence for Mo isotope fractionation between metal and silicate liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Hin, Remco C.; Burkhardt, Christoph; Schmidt, Max W.; Bourdon, Bernard; Kleine, Thorsten

2013-10-01

Stable isotope fractionation of siderophile elements may inform on the conditions and chemical consequences of core-mantle differentiation in planetary objects. The extent to which Mo isotopes fractionate during such metal-silicate segregation, however, is so far unexplored. We have therefore investigated equilibrium fractionation of Mo isotopes between liquid metal and liquid silicate to evaluate the potential of Mo isotopes as a new tool to study core formation. We have performed experiments at 1400 and 1600 °C in a centrifuging piston cylinder. Tin was used to lower the melting temperature of the Fe-based metal alloys to double spike technique. In experiments performed at 1400 °C, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.19±0.03‰ (95% confidence interval) heavier than that of metal. This fractionation is not significantly affected by the presence or absence of carbon. Molybdenum isotope fractionation is furthermore independent of oxygen fugacity in the range IW -1.79 to IW +0.47, which are plausible values for core formation. Experiments at 1600 °C show that, at equilibrium, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.12±0.02‰ heavier than that of metal and that the presence or absence of Sn does not affect this fractionation. Equilibrium Mo isotope fractionation between liquid metal and liquid silicate as a function of temperature can therefore be described as ΔMoMetal-Silicate98/95=-4.70(±0.59)×105/T2. Our experiments show that Mo isotope fractionation may be resolvable up to metal-silicate equilibration temperatures of about 2500 °C, rendering Mo isotopes a novel tool to investigate the conditions of core formation in objects ranging from planetesimals to Earth sized bodies.

A volatile fluid assisted thermo-pneumatic liquid metal energy harvester

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Jianbo, E-mail: zhouyuan@mail.ipc.ac.cn, E-mail: jianbotang@mail.ipc.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Junjie; Liu, Jing; Zhou, Yuan, E-mail: zhouyuan@mail.ipc.ac.cn, E-mail: jianbotang@mail.ipc.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2016-01-11

A close-cycle self-driving thermal energy harvester using liquid metal as energy carrier fluid has been proposed. The driving force that pushes the liquid metal against flow resistance and gravity is provided by a resistively heated volatile fluid based on thermo-pneumatic principle. The tested harvester prototype demonstrated its capability to extract thermal energy between small temperature gradient, at a scale of 10 °C. During a 5-h operation, it further demonstrated robust liquid metal recirculating performance at a time-average volume flow rate of 14 ml/min with a 12.25 W heating load. The prototype also managed to self-adjust to variable working conditions which indicated the reliability of this method. Advantages of this method include simple-structural design, rigid-motion free operation, and low-temperature actuation. These advantages make it uniquely suited for solar energy and low-grade heat harvesting, high heat flux electronics cooling, as well as autonomous machines actuating.

Biomedical implementation of liquid metal ink as drawable ECG electrode and skin circuit.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Yu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Conventional ways of making bio-electrodes are generally complicated, expensive and unconformable. Here we describe for the first time the method of applying Ga-based liquid metal ink as drawable electrocardiogram (ECG electrodes. Such material owns unique merits in both liquid phase conformability and high electrical conductivity, which provides flexible ways for making electrical circuits on skin surface and a prospective substitution of conventional rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs. METHODS: Fundamental measurements of impedance and polarization voltage of the liquid metal ink were carried out to evaluate its basic electrical properties. Conceptual experiments were performed to draw the alloy as bio-electrodes to acquire ECG signals from both rabbit and human via a wireless module developed on the mobile phone. Further, a typical electrical circuit was drawn in the palm with the ink to demonstrate its potential of implementing more sophisticated skin circuits. RESULTS: With an oxide concentration of 0.34%, the resistivity of the liquid metal ink was measured as 44.1 µΩ·cm with quite low reactance in the form of straight line. Its peak polarization voltage with the physiological saline was detected as -0.73 V. The quality of ECG wave detected from the liquid metal electrodes was found as good as that of conventional electrodes, from both rabbit and human experiments. In addition, the circuit drawn with the liquid metal ink in the palm also runs efficiently. When the loop was switched on, all the light emitting diodes (LEDs were lit and emitted colorful lights. CONCLUSIONS: The liquid metal ink promises unique printable electrical properties as both bio-electrodes and electrical wires. The implemented ECG measurement on biological surface and the successfully run skin circuit demonstrated the conformability and attachment of the liquid metal. The present method is expected to innovate future physiological measurement and

The concepts of liquid metal of IV generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbonnier, J. L.

2005-01-01

The concepts of liquid metals, due to their large spectrum, show important possibility of sustainable development: two concepts of liquid metal (Sodium and Lead) were engaged in the frame of the IV generation. The reactors with sodium benefit from considerable background of experience and of important work on projects to aim at the price diminution and the increase of safety (EFR, JSFR). The commitment of Japan as a leader of this concept and the support by France allow to contemplate an industrial deployment from 2015. The lead reactors offer some advantages in the domain of safety but otherwise require a highly important research and development binded to the control of the corrosion, the perspective of deployment of this concept are more hypothetical

Liquid uranium contaimment in refractories metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duarte, J.L.; Padilha, A.F.

1982-01-01

Tests were performed on metalic materials for liquid uranium containment up to 2100 0 C. The materials Nb, Mo, Ta and W in the form of crucibles were tested at 2100 0 C for one hour in the presence of flowing argon. After testing, the crucibles were etched using HCl and analysed by optical metallography and electron proble microanalysis. The results are discussed in terms of Berthoud equation and indicated that the solubility limit of the crucible material in uranium at the temperature controlls the crucible dissolution by liquid uranium. The various phases formed, the mechanism of dissolution and the possible material for future use are presented and discussed. (Author) [pt

Packaging a liquid metal ESD with micro-scale Mercury droplet.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnard, Casey Anderson

2011-08-01

A liquid metal ESD is being developed to provide electrical switching at different acceleration levels. The metal will act as both proof mass and electric contact. Mercury is chosen to comply with operation parameters. There are many challenges surrounding the deposition and containment of micro scale mercury droplets. Novel methods of micro liquid transfer are developed to deliver controllable amounts of mercury to the appropriate channels in volumes under 1 uL. Issues of hermetic sealing and avoidance of mercury contamination are also addressed.

Highly stable noble-metal nanoparticles in tetraalkylphosphonium ionic liquids for in situ catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Abhinandan; Theron, Robin; Scott, Robert W J

2012-01-09

Gold and palladium nanoparticles were prepared by lithium borohydride reduction of the metal salt precursors in tetraalkylphosphonium halide ionic liquids in the absence of any organic solvents or external nanoparticle stabilizers. These colloidal suspensions remained stable and showed no nanoparticle agglomeration over many months. A combination of electrostatic interactions between the coordinatively unsaturated metal nanoparticle surface and the ionic-liquid anions, bolstered by steric protection offered by the bulky alkylated phosphonium cations, is likely to be the reason behind such stabilization. The halide anion strongly absorbs to the nanoparticle surface, leading to exceptional nanoparticle stability in halide ionic liquids; other tetraalkylphosphonium ionic liquids with non-coordinating anions, such as tosylate and hexafluorophosphate, show considerably lower affinities towards the stabilization of nanoparticles. Palladium nanoparticles stabilized in the tetraalkylphosphonium halide ionic liquid were stable, efficient, and recyclable catalysts for a variety of hydrogenation reactions at ambient pressures with sustained activity. Aerial oxidation of the metal nanoparticles occurred over time and was readily reversed by re-reduction of oxidized metal salts. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Liquid liquid extraction of Th(IV) and its complexation study by Calix(4)pyrole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathod, N.V.; Kamble, J.H.; Malkhede, D.D.

2015-01-01

Due to increased demand for carbon-free energy, accelerated growth of nuclear power is foreseen in several countries, especially in China and India. This has made the sustainable use of fuel resources such as uranium and thorium very important. Today, uranium is the main-stay of the present generation of nuclear power plants. However, the anticipated growth in nuclear energy may require introducing thorium as a fuel in future. Meso-octamethyl calix(4)pyrole is known for anion receptor however the present study evaluate the effect of cation for complexation of thorium by liquid liquid extraction technique. Calix(4)pyrole was evaluated for extraction of Th(IV), and 97% extraction efficiency was obtained. Th(IV) was determine with arsenazo(III) at 655 nm. The effect of acid molarity of 0.1 M, 1:5 metal to ligand ratio found efficient for maximum extraction. The stoichiometry ratio 1:2 between metal to ligand is established

Experimental solubility measurements of lanthanides in liquid alkalis

Science.gov (United States)

Isler, Jeremy; Zhang, Jinsuo; Mariani, Robert; Unal, Cetin

2017-11-01

In metallic nuclear fuel, lanthanide fission products play a crucial role in the fuel burnup-limiting phenomena of fuel cladding-chemical interaction (FCCI). The lanthanides have been hypothesized to transport by a 'liquid-like' mechanism out of the metallic fuel to the fuel peripheral to cause FCCI. By liquid fission product cesium and liquid bond sodium, the lanthanides are transported to the peripheral of the fuel through the porosity of the fuel. This work investigates the interaction between the lanthanides and the alkali metals by experimentally measuring the solubility of lanthanides within liquid sodium, and neodymium in liquid cesium and mixtures of cesium and sodium. The temperature dependence of the solubility is experimentally determined within an inert environment. In addition, the dependence of the solubility on the alkali metal concentration in liquid mixtures of cesium and sodium was examined. In quantifying the solubility, the fundamental understanding of this transport mechanism can be better determined.

Liquid metal reactor development. Development of LMR coolant technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, H. Y.; Choi, S. K.; Hwang, J. s.; Lee, Y. B.; Choi, B. H.; Kim, J. M.; Kim, Y. G.; Kim, M. J.; Lee, S. D.; Kang, Y. H.; Maeng, Y. Y.; Kim, T. R.; Park, J. H.; Park, S. J.; Cha, J. H.; Kim, D. H.; Oh, S. K.; Park, C. G.; Hong, S. H.; Lee, K. H.; Chun, M. H.; Moon, H. T.; Chang, S. H.; Lee, D. N.

1997-07-15

Following studies have been performed during last three years as the 1.2 phase study of the mid and long term nuclear technology development plan. First, the small scale experiments using the sodium have been performed such as the basic turbulent mixing experiment which is related to the design of a compact reactor, the flow reversal characteristics experiment by natural circulation which is necessary for the analysis of local flow reversal when the electromagnetic pump is installed, the feasibility test of the decay heat removal by wall cooling and the operation of electromagnetic pump. Second, the technology of operation mechanism of sodium facility is developed and the technical analysis and fundamental experiments of sodium measuring technology has been performed such as differential pressure measuring experiment, local flow rate measuring experimenter, sodium void fraction measuring experiment, under sodium facility, the free surface movement experiment and the side orifice pressure drop experiment. A new bounded convection scheme was introduced to the ELBO3D thermo-hydraulic computer code designed for analysis of experimental result. A three dimensional computer code was developed for the analysis of free surface movement and the analysis model of transmission of sodium void fraction was developed. Fourth, the small scale key components are developed. The submersible-in-pool type electromagnetic pump which can be used as primary pump in the liquid metal reactor is developed. The SASS which uses the Curie-point electromagnet and the mock-up of Pantograph type IVTM were manufactured and their feasibility was evaluated. Fifth, the high temperature characteristics experiment of stainless steel which is used as a major material for liquid metal reactor and the material characteristics experiment of magnet coil were performed. (author). 126 refs., 98 tabs., 296 figs.

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Liquid Metal MHD Power Generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elliott, D. G.; Cerini, D. J.; Hays, L. G.; Weinberg, E. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

1966-11-15

Liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic power generation for space is studied. Closed- loop circulation of liquid metal without moving mechanical parts, and generation of electric power from the circulating metal, have been investigated analytically and experimentally, and the attainable cycle efficiencies have been calculated. Recent literature has pointed out the possibility of efficient a.c. generators with liquid metal as the working fluid, and this type of generator is under study. Analysis indicates that efficiencies up to 65% are attainable in a travelling-wave induction generator at the available liquid metal velocities of 100-200 m/sec, provided the generator has a length/gap ratio of no more than 50 for low friction loss, has an electrical length of no more than three wavelengths for low winding loss, and has end-effect compensation for cancelling finite-length effects in the power-generating region. The analysis leading to these conclusions is presented. The type of end-effect correction being studied is the ''compensating-pole'' technique in which an oscillating magnetic field is applied to the fluid entering and leaving the generator to make the flux linkages within the generator the same as those in a rotating or ''infinite'' generator. An experimental one-wavelength generator employing compensating poles has been fabricated, and empty-channel magnetic field measurements have been completed in preparation for tests with NaK. Two types of field measurements were made: d.c. measurements to determine the field profile as a function of phase angle and a.c. measurements to investigate the synchronization of the compensating poles with the travelling wave. The d.c. results showed that the flux linkages in the power generating region can be held close to those in a rotating machine, and the a.c. results showed that the compensating poles can be accurately synchronized with the travelling wave through transformer coupling. The component efficiencies from the

Application of a room temperature ionic liquid for nuclear spent fuel reprocessing: speciation of trivalent europium and solvatation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moutiers, G.; Mekki, S.; Billard, I.

2007-01-01

One of the solutions proposed for the optimization of the long term storage and conditioning of spent nuclear fuel is to separate actinide and lanthanide both from each other and from other less radioactive metallic species. The industrial proposed processes, based on liquid liquid extraction steps, involve solvents with non negligible vapour pressure and may generate contaminated liquid wastes that will have to be reprocessed. During the last decade, some room-temperature ionic liquids have been studied and integrated into industrial processes. The interest on this class of solvent came out from their 'green' properties (non volatile, non flammable, recyclable, etc...), but also from the variability of their physico-chemical properties (stability, hydrophobicity, viscosity) as a function of the RTIL chemical composition. Indeed, it has been shown that classical chemical industrial processes could be transferred into those media, even more improved, while a certain number of difficulties arising from using traditional solvent can be avoided. In this respect, it could be promising to investigate the ability to use room temperature ionic liquid into the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing field. The aim of this this study is to test the ability of the specific ionic liquid bumimTf 2 N to allow trivalent europium extraction. The choice of this metal is based on the chemical analogy with trivalent minor actinides Curium and Americium which are contributing the greatest part of the long-lived high level radioactive wastes. Handling these elements needs to be very cautious for the safety and radioprotection aspect. Moreover, europium is a very sensitive luminescent probe to its environment even at the microscopic scale. The report is structured with four parts. In a first chapter, we present the main physico-chemical properties of an imidazolium-based ionic liquid family, and then we choose the ionic liquid bumimTf 2 N for the whole thesis and start with the electrochemical

Electromagnetic-acoustic coupling in ferromagnetic metals at liquid-helium temperatures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gordon, R A

1981-01-01

Electromagnetic-acoustic coupling at the surface and in the bulk of ferromagnetic metals at liquid-helium temperatures has been studied using electromagnetically excited acoustic standing-wave resonances at MHz frequencies in a number of ferromagnetic metals and alloys of commercial interest...

The magnetohydrodynamic force experienced by spherical iron particles in liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ščepanskis, Mihails; Jakovičs, Andris

2016-01-01

The paper contains a theoretical investigation of magnetohydrodynamic force experienced by iron particles (well-conducting and ferromagnetic) in well-conducting liquid. The investigation is performed by extending the Leenov and Kolin's theory to take into account the second-order effect. Therefore, the limits of the parent model are taken over to the present results. It is found that the effective conductivity of iron particles in liquid metal, which is important for practical application of the theoretically obtained force, is approximately equal to 1.5·10"6 S/m. The last result is obtained using a quasi-empirical approach – a comparison of experimental results with the results of the numerical simulation that was performed for various conductivities of the iron particles. - Highlights: • We found the expression of an MHD force experienced by a spherical iron particle in a liquid metal taking into account the second order effect additionally to Leenov & Kolin’s theoretical solution. • We found the effective conductivity of an iron particle in a liquid metal in quasi-empirical way equal to 1.5·10"6 S/m. • It is important to use the expression of an MHD force, which takes into account the second-order effect, as well as the correction for effective conductivity of a particle, to describe behaviour of iron particles in liquid metal flows, which are under influence or induced by the Lorentz force.

Corrosion by liquid lead and lead-bismuth: experimental results review and analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jinsuo [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2008-01-01

Liquid metal technologies for liquid lead and lead-bismuth alloy are under wide investigation and development for advanced nuclear energy systems and waste transmutation systems. Material corrosion is one of the main issues studied a lot recently in the development of the liquid metal technology. This study reviews corrosion by liquid lead and lead bismuth, including the corrosion mechanisms, corrosion inhibitor and the formation of the protective oxide layer. The available experimental data are analyzed by using a corrosion model in which the oxidation and scale removal are coupled. Based on the model, long-term behaviors of steels in liquid lead and lead-bismuth are predictable. This report provides information for the selection of structural materials for typical nuclear reactor coolant systems when selecting liquid lead or lead bismuth as heat transfer media.

Design analyses of self-cooled liquid metal blankets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gohar, Y.

1986-12-01

A trade-off study of liquid metal self-cooled blankets was carried out to define the performance of these blankets and to determine the potential to operate at the maximum possible values of the performance parameters. The main parameters considered during the course of the study were the tritium breeding ratio (TBR), the blanket energy multiplication factor, the energy fraction lost to the shield, the lithium-6 enrichment in the breeder material, the total blanket thickness, the reflector material selection, and the compositions of the different blanket zones. Also, a study was carried out to assess the impact of different reactor design choices on the reactor performance parameters. The design choices include the impurity control system (limiter or divertor), the material choice for the limiter, the elimination of tritium breeding from the inboard section of tokamak reactors, and the coolant choice for the nonbreeding inboard blanket. In addition, tritium breeding benchmark calculations were performed using different transport codes and nuclear data libraries. The importance of the TBR in the blanket design motivated the benchmark calculations

Functionalized ionic liquids: new agents for the extraction of actinides/lanthanides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ouadi, A.; Hesemann, P.; Billard, I.; Gaillard, C.; Gadenne, B.; Moreau, Joel J.E; Moutiers, G.; Mariet, C.; Labet, A.

2004-01-01

The potentialities of hydrophobic ionic liquids BumimPF 6 and BumimTf 2 N for their use in the nuclear fuel cycle were investigated, in particular for the liquid liquid extraction. We demonstrate that the use of RTILs in replacement of the organic diluents for actinides partitioning is promising. In our contribution, we present the synthesis of several task-specific ionic liquids. Our results show that grafting metal complexing groups increases the affinity of metals to the IL phase and gives rise to suitable media for the liquid-liquid extraction of actinides. (authors)

Experiments with Liquid Metal Walls: Status of the Lithium Tokamak Experiment

OpenAIRE

Boyle, Dennis; Gray, Timothy; Granstedt, Erik; Kozub, Thomas; Berzak, Laura; Hammett, Gregory; Kugel, Henry; Leblanc, Benoit; Logan, Nicholas; Jacobson, Craig M.; Lucia, Matthew; Jones, Andrew; Lundberg, Daniel; Timberlake, John; Majeski, Richard

2010-01-01

Liquid metal walls have been proposed to address the first wall challenge for fusion reactors. The Lithium Tokamak Experiment (LTX) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is the first magnetic confinement device to have liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFC's) that encloses virtually the entire plasma. In the Current Drive Experiment-Upgrade (CDX-U), a predecessor to LTX at PPPL, the highest improvement in energy confinement ever observed in Ohmically-heated tokamak plasmas wa...

Liquid-metal plasma-facing component research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworski, M. A.; Khodak, A.; Kaita, R.

2013-12-01

Liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFCs) have been proposed as a means of solving several problems facing the creation of economically viable fusion power reactors. Liquid metals face critical issues in three key areas: free-surface stability, material migration and demonstration of integrated scenarios. To date, few demonstrations exist of this approach in a diverted tokamak and we here provide an overview of such work on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The liquid lithium divertor (LLD) was installed and operated for the 2010 run campaign using evaporated coatings as the filling method. Despite a nominal liquid level exceeding the capillary structure and peak current densities into the PFCs exceeding 100 kA m-2, no macroscopic ejection events were observed. The stability can be understood from a Rayleigh-Taylor instability analysis. Capillary restraint and thermal-hydraulic considerations lead to a proposed liquid-metal PFCs scheme of actively-supplied, capillary-restrained systems. Even with state-of-the-art cooling techniques, design studies indicate that the surface temperature with divertor-relevant heat fluxes will still reach temperatures above 700 °C. At this point, one would expect significant vapor production from a liquid leading to a continuously vapor-shielded regime. Such high-temperature liquid lithium PFCs may be possible on the basis of momentum-balance arguments.

Topology-generating interfacial pattern formation during liquid metal dealloying.

Science.gov (United States)

Geslin, Pierre-Antoine; McCue, Ian; Gaskey, Bernard; Erlebacher, Jonah; Karma, Alain

2015-11-19

Liquid metal dealloying has emerged as a novel technique to produce topologically complex nanoporous and nanocomposite structures with ultra-high interfacial area and other unique properties relevant for diverse material applications. This process is empirically known to require the selective dissolution of one element of a multicomponent solid alloy into a liquid metal to obtain desirable structures. However, how structures form is not known. Here we demonstrate, using mesoscale phase-field modelling and experiments, that nano/microstructural pattern formation during dealloying results from the interplay of (i) interfacial spinodal decomposition, forming compositional domain structures enriched in the immiscible element, and (ii) diffusion-coupled growth of the enriched solid phase and the liquid phase into the alloy. We highlight how those two basic mechanisms interact to yield a rich variety of topologically disconnected and connected structures. Moreover, we deduce scaling laws governing microstructural length scales and dealloying kinetics.

Further studies on the filtration of liquids using Kapton nuclear track micro filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, S.L.; Ganz, M.; Fuest, M.; Vater, P.; Brandt, R.

1990-01-01

The flow rate of some liquids (water, heptane, toluene, xylene, dodecane) through Kapton nuclear track filters has been measured. The results can be interpreted with a modified Poiseuille formula. The influence of the viscosity of the liquids on their throughput through Kapton nuclear track filters has been determined. The purification of liquids with Kapton filters has been investigated. It is possible to measure the density of solid particles in deionized water by using Kapton filters. Consequently, nuclear track filters can remove solid particles from high-purity liquids. The soaking effect of some common liquid chemicals on Kapton filters has also been studied, no such soaking could be observed in most of the cases. Finally, these Kapton nuclear track filters are compared with a filter device from Hamamatsu (Japan). (orig.) [de

Numerical Modeling of Fiber-Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite Processing by the Liquid Route: Literature Contribution

Science.gov (United States)

Lacoste, Eric; Arvieu, Corinne; Mantaux, Olivier

2018-04-01

One of the technologies used to produce metal matrix composites (MMCs) is liquid route processing. One solution is to inject a liquid metal under pressure or at constant rate through a fibrous preform. This foundry technique overcomes the problem of the wettability of ceramic fibers by liquid metal. The liquid route can also be used to produce semiproducts by coating a filament with a molten metal. These processes involve physical phenomena combined with mass and heat transfer and phase change. The phase change phenomena related to solidification and also to the melting of the metal during the process notably result in modifications to the permeability of porous media, in gaps in impregnation, in the appearance of defects (porosities), and in segregation in the final product. In this article, we provide a state-of-the-art review of numerical models and simulation developed to study these physical phenomena involved in MMC processing by the liquid route.

Determination of stable shapes of a thin liquid metal layer using a boundary integral method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinaje, M [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Vinsard, G [Laboratoire d' Energetique et de Mecanique Theorique et Appliquee, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Dufour, S [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, 2 avenue de la Foret de Haye, 54516 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)

2006-03-21

This paper deals with a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field. Experimentally, we have noticed that even if the system (inductor+liquid metal) is axisymmetric, when an ac magnetic field is applied the symmetry is broken. The observed deformations of the liquid metal are in three dimensions. Therefore, our aim is to investigate this deformation using a numerical method as boundary element method in three dimensions.

Determination of stable shapes of a thin liquid metal layer using a boundary integral method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinaje, M; Vinsard, G; Dufour, S

2006-01-01

This paper deals with a thin liquid metal layer submitted to an ac magnetic field. Experimentally, we have noticed that even if the system (inductor+liquid metal) is axisymmetric, when an ac magnetic field is applied the symmetry is broken. The observed deformations of the liquid metal are in three dimensions. Therefore, our aim is to investigate this deformation using a numerical method as boundary element method in three dimensions

Sorption of radiostrontium from liquid metallic rubidium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhujkov, B.L.; Kokhnyuk, V.M.; Vincent, J.S.

2008-01-01

One studied the radiostrontium (in particular, 82 Sr) sorption from the liquid metallic Rb in various inorganic sorbents (both metals and oxides). One studied the temperature dependence and the dynamics of the adsorption and put forward an interpretation of the observed mechanisms. The elaborated approach enables to extract 82 Sr efficiently from the Rb targets upon their irradiation by the accelerated protons. One studies various procedures and the applicability of the process to ensure elaboration of a new highly efficient process to produce 82 Sr, in particular, with the targets of the circulating Rb [ru

Experiments for liquid metal embrittlement of fusion reactor materials by liquid lithium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grundmann, M.; Borgstedt, H.U.

1984-10-01

The liquid metal embrittlement behaviour of two martensitic-ferritic steels [X22CrMoV121 (Nr. 1.4923) and X18CrMoVNb 121 (Nr. 1,4914)] and one austenite chromium-nickel-steel X5CrNi189 (Nr. 1.4301) was investigated. Tensile tests in liquid lithium at 200 and 250 0 C with two different strain rates on precorroded samples (1000 h at 550 0 C in lithium) were carried out. Reference values were gained from tensile tests in air (RT, 250 0 C). It is concluded that there is sufficient compatibility of the austenitic steel with liquid lithium. The use of the ferritic-martensitic steels in liquid lithium on the other hand, especially at temperatures of about 550 0 C, seems to be problematic. The experimental results led to a better understanding of LME, applying the theory of this material failure. (orig./IHOE) [de

International workshop on measuring techniques for liquid metal flows (MTLM). Abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerbeth, G; Eckert, S [eds.

1999-11-01

The international workshop on 'Measuring techniques in liquid metal flows' (MTLM workshop) was organised in frame of the Dresden 'Innovationskolleg Magnetofluiddynamik'. The subject of the MTLM workshop was limited to methods to determine physical flow quantities such as velocity, pressure, void fraction, inclusion properties, crystallisation fronts etc. The present proceedings contain abstracts and viewgraphs of the oral presentations. During the last decades numerical simulations have become an important tool in industry and research to study the structure of flows and the properties of heat and mass transfer. However, in case of liquid metal flows there exists a significant problem to validate the codes with experimental data due to the lack of available measuring techniques. Due to the material properties (opaque, hot, chemical aggressive) the measurement of flow quantities is much more delicate in liquid metals compared to ordinary water flows. The generalisation of results obtained by means of water models to real liquid metal flows has often to be considered as difficult due to the problems to meet the actual values of n0n-dimensional flow parameters (Re, Pr, Gr, Ha, etc.). Moreover, a strong need has to be noted to make measuring techniques available tomonitor and to control flow processes in real industrial facilities. The objectives of the MTLM workshop were to: Review of existing information on a available techniques and experiences about the use in liquid metal flows, initiate a discussion between developers and potential users with respect to the actual need of information about the flow structure as well as the capabilities of existing and developing measuring techniques. Explore opportunities for co-operative R and D projects to expedite new developments and results, to share expertise and resources. (orig.)

International workshop on measuring techniques for liquid metal flows (MTLM). Abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerbeth, G.; Eckert, S. [eds.

1999-11-01

The international workshop on 'Measuring techniques in liquid metal flows' (MTLM workshop) was organised in frame of the Dresden 'Innovationskolleg Magnetofluiddynamik'. The subject of the MTLM workshop was limited to methods to determine physical flow quantities such as velocity, pressure, void fraction, inclusion properties, crystallisation fronts etc. The present proceedings contain abstracts and viewgraphs of the oral presentations. During the last decades numerical simulations have become an important tool in industry and research to study the structure of flows and the properties of heat and mass transfer. However, in case of liquid metal flows there exists a significant problem to validate the codes with experimental data due to the lack of available measuring techniques. Due to the material properties (opaque, hot, chemical aggressive) the measurement of flow quantities is much more delicate in liquid metals compared to ordinary water flows. The generalisation of results obtained by means of water models to real liquid metal flows has often to be considered as difficult due to the problems to meet the actual values of n0n-dimensional flow parameters (Re, Pr, Gr, Ha, etc.). Moreover, a strong need has to be noted to make measuring techniques available tomonitor and to control flow processes in real industrial facilities. The objectives of the MTLM workshop were to: Review of existing information on a available techniques and experiences about the use in liquid metal flows, initiate a discussion between developers and potential users with respect to the actual need of information about the flow structure as well as the capabilities of existing and developing measuring techniques. Explore opportunities for co-operative R and D projects to expedite new developments and results, to share expertise and resources. (orig.)

Determination of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in nuclear waste by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

du Bois de Maquillé, Laurence; Renaudin, Laetitia; Goutelard, Florence; Jardy, Alain; Vial, Jérôme; Thiébaut, Didier

2013-02-08

EDTA is a chelating agent that has been used in decontamination processes. Its quantification is required for nuclear waste management because it affects the mobility of radionuclides and metals in environment and, thus, can harm the safety of the storage. Ion-pair chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry detection is a convenient method for quantitative analysis of EDTA but EDTA should be present as a single anionic chelate form. However, radioactive liquid wastes contain high concentrations of heavy metals and salts and consequently, EDTA is present as several chelates. Speciation studies were carried out to choose a metal cation to be added in excess to the solution to obtain a major chelate form. Fe is the predominant cation and Fe(III)-EDTA is thermodynamically favored but these speciation studies showed that ferric hydroxide precipitated above pH 2. Consequently, it was not possible to quantify EDTA as Fe(III)-EDTA complex. Therefore, Ni(2+) was chosen but its use implied pretreatment with a base of the solution to eliminate Fe. Deuterated EDTA was used as tracer in order to validate the whole procedure, from the treatment with a base to the final analysis by HPLC-ESI-MS. This analytical method was successfully applied for EDTA quantification in two real effluents resulting from a nuclear liquid waste process. A recovery rate between 60 and 80% was obtained. The limit of detection of this method was determined at 34×10(-9)mol L(-1). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffith, Jerry D [Reactor Systems Development and Technology, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States); Horton, Kenneth E [Division of International Programs, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (United States)

1992-07-01

The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication

Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, Jerry D.; Horton, Kenneth E.

1992-01-01

The U.S. civilian nuclear power research and development program continues to focus on advanced large and mid-size light water reactors, advanced liquid metal fast reactors, and modular high temperature gas cooled reactors. This paper discusses the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor program, which is composed of a small, passively safe fast reactor coupled with a metal fuel cycle that incorporates actinide recycle, and an emerging effort to process LWR spent fuel for LMR fissile material, and to enhance the LWR waste management. The liquid metal reactor concept has a sound technology base, with some three decades of research and development both in this and other countries. An existing network of government and industry research facilities and engineering test centers in the United States is currently providing test capabilities and the technical expertise required to conduct an aggressive advanced reactor development program. Notable among the research facilities is the Experimental Breeder Reactor-Il (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Idaho and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford, Washington. Subsequent to the DOE directive to shut down the Fast Flux Test Facility in early 1990, significant effort was placed in finding international financial support for this reactor. This initiative was not successful. Therefore, although there may be a potential future mission for the FFTF, the Secretary of Energy announced on March 13, 1992 that the FFTF will be put in a standby condition starting April 1, 1992. Current U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) activity is focused on providing a reactor and fuel cycle system with improved safety margins, better economics, and an attractive waste management (actinide recycle) option. Special attention is being directed to passive safety features, large design margins, modular plant construction, standardized plant design leading to simplified licensing and shorter construction schedules, factory fabrication

Development of a Hemispherical Metal Diaphragm for Single-Cycle Liquid-Metal Positive Expulsion Systems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gorland, Sol

1965-01-01

This report presents experimental results pertaining to the design and development of a metallic expulsion diaphragm for single-cycle positive expulsion of high-temperature liquid in an agravity condition...

A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nornberg, M.D.; Ji, H.; Peterson, J.L.; Rhoads, J.R.

2008-01-01

We present an experiment designed to study magnetohydrodynamic effects in free-surface channel flow. The wide aspect ratio channel (the width to height ratio is about 15) is completely enclosed in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidization of the liquid metal. A custom-designed pump reduces entrainment of oxygen, which was found to be a problem with standard centrifugal and gear pumps. Laser Doppler Velocimetry experiments characterize velocity profiles of the flow. Various flow constraints mitigate secondary circulation and end effects on the flow. Measurements of the wave propagation characteristics in the liquid metal demonstrate the surfactant effect of surface oxides and the damping of fluctuations by a cross-channel magnetic field

Model of liquid-metal splashing in the cathode spot of a vacuum arc discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gashkov, M. A.; Zubarev, N. M.; Zubareva, O. V.; Mesyats, G. A.; Uimanov, I. V.

2016-01-01

The formation of microjets is studied during the extrusion of a melted metal by the plasma pressure from craters formed on a cathode in a burning vacuum arc. An analytic model of liquid-metal splashing that includes two stages is proposed. At the first stage, the liquid motion has the axial symmetry and a liquid-metal wall surrounding the crater is formed. At the second stage, the axial symmetry is broken due to the development of the Plateau–Rayleigh instability in the upper part of the wall. The wall breakup process is shown to have a threshold. The minimal plasma pressure and the minimal electric current flowing through the crater required for obtaining the liquid-metal splashing regime are found. The basic spatial and temporal characteristics of the jet formation process are found using the analytic model.

Surface energies of metals in both liquid and solid states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aqra, Fathi; Ayyad, Ahmed

2011-01-01

Although during the last years one has seen a number of systematic studies of the surface energies of metals, the aim and the scientific meaning of this research is to establish a simple and a straightforward theoretical model to calculate accurately the mechanical and the thermodynamic properties of metal surfaces due to their important application in materials processes and in the understanding of a wide range of surface phenomena. Through extensive theoretical calculations of the surface tension of most of the liquid metals, we found that the fraction of broken bonds in liquid metals (f) is constant which is equal to 0.287. Using our estimated f value, the surface tension (γ m ), surface energy (γ SV ), surface excess entropy (-dγ/dT), surface excess enthalpy (H s ), coefficient of thermal expansion (α m and α b ), sound velocity (c m ) and its temperature coefficient (-dc/dT) have been calculated for more than sixty metals. The results of the calculated quantities agree well with available experimental data.

Metal-organic frameworks based membranes for liquid separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Liu, Yuxin; Wang, Jing; Gascon, Jorge; Li, Jiansheng; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2017-11-27

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a fascinating class of solid crystalline materials which can be self-assembled in a straightforward manner by the coordination of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands. Owing to their intrinsic porous characteristics, unique chemical versatility and abundant functionalities, MOFs have received substantial attention for diverse industrial applications, including membrane separation. Exciting research activities ranging from fabrication strategies to separation applications of MOF-based membranes have appeared. Inspired by the marvelous achievements of MOF-based membranes in gas separations, liquid separations are also being explored for the purpose of constructing continuous MOFs membranes or MOF-based mixed matrix membranes. Although these are in an emerging stage of vigorous development, most efforts are directed towards improving the liquid separation efficiency with well-designed MOF-based membranes. Therefore, as an increasing trend in membrane separation, the field of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation is highlighted in this review. The criteria for judicious selection of MOFs in fabricating MOF-based membranes are given. Special attention is paid to rational design strategies for MOF-based membranes, along with the latest application progress in the area of liquid separations, such as pervaporation, water treatment, and organic solvent nanofiltration. Moreover, some attractive dual-function applications of MOF-based membranes in the removal of micropollutants, degradation, and antibacterial activity are also reviewed. Finally, we define the remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field. This Tutorial Review provides an overview and outlook for MOF-based membranes for liquid separations. Further development of MOF-based membranes for liquid separation must consider the demands of strict separation standards and environmental safety for industrial application.

Enhanced metal recovery through oxidation in liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide

KAUST Repository

Blanco, Mario; Buttner, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Process for enhanced metal recovery from, for example, metal-containing feedstock using liquid and/or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide and a source of oxidation. The oxidation agent can be free of complexing agent. The metal-containing feedstock

Aspects of chemistry in management of radioactive liquid wastes from nuclear installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeotikar, R.G.

2007-01-01

Nuclear energy is the only source available to the mankind to fulfill the continuous and ever increasing demand of energy. The public acceptance and popularity of nuclear energy depends to a large extent on management of radioactive waste. The nuclear waste management demands eco-friendly process/systems. This article highlights the sources of different types of radioactive liquid wastes generated in the nuclear installation and their treatment process. The radioactive liquid waste is classified mainly into three categories based on activity levels e.g. low, intermediate and high level. The management of radioactive liquid waste is very critical because of its 'mobility and liquid' nature. Secondly the liquid wastes have wide range of activity and chemistry spectrum and their volumes are also different. Hence the methods for management of different types of liquid wastes are also different. Mostly the treatment and conditioning processes are chemical processes. The chemistry involved in the treatment and conditioning of these wastes, problems related with chemistry for each processes and efforts to solve these problems, aspects of adoption on plant scale, etc., have been discussed in this article. (author)

Complaint liquid metal electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Finkenauer, Lauren R.; Majidi, Carmel

2014-03-01

This work presents a liquid-phase metal electrode to be used with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) for a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). DEAs are favorable for soft-matter applications where high efficiency and response times are desirable. A consistent challenge faced during the fabrication of these devices is the selection and deposition of electrode material. While numerous designs have been demonstrated with a variety of conductive elastomers and greases, these materials have significant and often intrinsic shortcomings, e.g. low conductivity, hysteresis, incapability of large deformations, and complex fabrication requirements. The liquid metal alloy eutectic Gallium-Indium (EGaIn) is a promising alternative to existing compliant electrodes, having both high conductivity and complete soft-matter functionality. The liquid electrode shares almost the same electrical conductivity as conventional metal wiring and provides no mechanical resistance to bending or stretching of the DEA. This research establishes a straightforward and effective method for quickly depositing EGaIn electrodes, which can be adapted for batch fabrication, and demonstrates the successful actuation of sample curved cantilever elastomer actuators using these electrodes. As with the vast majority of electrostatically actuated elastomer devices, the voltage requirements for these curved DEAs are still quite significant, though modifications to the fabrication process show some improved electrical properties. The ease and speed with which this method can be implemented suggests that the development of a more electronically efficient device is realistic and worthwhile.

Liquid-metal plasma-facing component research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaworski, M A; Khodak, A; Kaita, R

2013-01-01

Liquid metal plasma-facing components (PFCs) have been proposed as a means of solving several problems facing the creation of economically viable fusion power reactors. Liquid metals face critical issues in three key areas: free-surface stability, material migration and demonstration of integrated scenarios. To date, few demonstrations exist of this approach in a diverted tokamak and we here provide an overview of such work on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The liquid lithium divertor (LLD) was installed and operated for the 2010 run campaign using evaporated coatings as the filling method. Despite a nominal liquid level exceeding the capillary structure and peak current densities into the PFCs exceeding 100 kA m −2 , no macroscopic ejection events were observed. The stability can be understood from a Rayleigh–Taylor instability analysis. Capillary restraint and thermal-hydraulic considerations lead to a proposed liquid-metal PFCs scheme of actively-supplied, capillary-restrained systems. Even with state-of-the-art cooling techniques, design studies indicate that the surface temperature with divertor-relevant heat fluxes will still reach temperatures above 700 °C. At this point, one would expect significant vapor production from a liquid leading to a continuously vapor-shielded regime. Such high-temperature liquid lithium PFCs may be possible on the basis of momentum-balance arguments. (paper)

Energy deposition in liquid metals for D-T, D-D and T-T fusion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ragheb, M.M.H.; Zahakaylo, D.

1983-01-01

The nuclear performance of candidate liquid metals: lithium, lead, sodium, potassiu, Na(22%) K(78%), Na(56%) K(44%), is estimated with respect to their neutron and gamma-ray heat deposition rates. Three different neutron sources are considered: DT, DD and TT fusion neutrons. This is intended for the cooling of inertial confinement cavities using fusion pellets with internal tritrium breeding that will possibly eliminate the need to breed tritium in a lithium blanket. Compared to lithium with respect to neutron and gamma energy generation, blanket multiplication and pumping power, it appears that the considered metals can be used only if the environmental and safety advantages from the reduction of the tritium inventory and the avoidance of lithium, outweight the lithium advantages in higher energy production and lower pumping requirement by one to two orders of magnitude. (orig.) [de

Hydration forces and liquid-like layer on the ice/metal interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daikhin, Leonid; Tsionsky, Vladimir

2007-01-01

A model to describe the phenomenon of the liquid-like layer is proposed. It is based on the theory of the hydration forces proposed by Gruen and Marcelja (1983 J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. II 79 225), taking into account the influence of ions on the free energy of water. The model was applied to experimental data obtained with the quartz-crystal microbalance, in a study of the liquid-like layer between metal and frozen aqueous electrolytes and between metal and ice

Hydrodynamics and heat transfer in reactor components cooled by liquid metal coolants in single/two phase. 11. meeting of the International Association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR) Working Group. Working material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This Working Material includes the papers presented at the International Meeting 'Hydrodynamics and heat transfer in reactor components cooled by liquid metal coolants in single/two-phase', which was held 5-9 July 2004 at the State Scientific Center of Russian Federation - Institute for Physics and Power Engineering named after A.I. Leypunsky, in Obninsk near Moscow. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss new results obtained in the field of liquid metal coolant and to recommend the lines of further general physics and applied investigations, with the purpose of validating existing and codes under development for liquid metal cooled advanced and new generation nuclear reactors. Most of the contributions present results of experimental and numerical investigations into velocity, temperature and heat transfer in fuel subassemblies of fast reactors cooled by sodium or lead. In the frame of the meeting a benchmark problem devoted to heat transfer in the model subassembly of the fast reactor BREST-OD-300 was proposed. Experts from 5 countries (Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Republic of Korea, and Russia) took part in this benchmark exercise. The results of the benchmark calculations are summarized in the Working Material. The results of hydrodynamic studies of pressure head chambers and collector systems of liquid metal cooled reactors are presented in a number of papers. Also attention was given to the generalization of experimental data on hydraulic losses in the pipelines in case of mutual influence of local pressure drops, and to the modeling of natural convection in the fuel subassemblies and circuits with liquid metal cooling. Special emphasis at the meeting was placed on thermal hydraulics issues related to the development and design of target systems, such as heat removal in the target unit of the cascade subcritical reactor cooled by liquid salt; the target complex MK-1 for accelerator driven systems cooled by eutectic lead-bismuth alloy; and the test

Hydrodynamics and heat transfer in reactor components cooled by liquid metal coolants in single/two phase. 11. meeting of the International Association for Hydraulic Research (IAHR) Working Group. Working material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

This Working Material includes the papers presented at the International Meeting 'Hydrodynamics and heat transfer in reactor components cooled by liquid metal coolants in single/two-phase', which was held 5-9 July 2004 at the State Scientific Center of Russian Federation - Institute for Physics and Power Engineering named after A.I. Leypunsky, in Obninsk near Moscow. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss new results obtained in the field of liquid metal coolant and to recommend the lines of further general physics and applied investigations, with the purpose of validating existing and codes under development for liquid metal cooled advanced and new generation nuclear reactors. Most of the contributions present results of experimental and numerical investigations into velocity, temperature and heat transfer in fuel subassemblies of fast reactors cooled by sodium or lead. In the frame of the meeting a benchmark problem devoted to heat transfer in the model subassembly of the fast reactor BREST-OD-300 was proposed. Experts from 5 countries (Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Republic of Korea, and Russia) took part in this benchmark exercise. The results of the benchmark calculations are summarized in the Working Material. The results of hydrodynamic studies of pressure head chambers and collector systems of liquid metal cooled reactors are presented in a number of papers. Also attention was given to the generalization of experimental data on hydraulic losses in the pipelines in case of mutual influence of local pressure drops, and to the modeling of natural convection in the fuel subassemblies and circuits with liquid metal cooling. Special emphasis at the meeting was placed on thermal hydraulics issues related to the development and design of target systems, such as heat removal in the target unit of the cascade subcritical reactor cooled by liquid salt; the target complex MK-1 for accelerator driven systems cooled by eutectic lead-bismuth alloy; and the test

Density dependent atomic motion in a liquid alkali metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilgrim, W.-C.; Hosokawa, S.; Morkel, C.

2001-01-01

Inelastic X-ray and neutron scattering results obtained from liquid sodium and rubidium are presented. They cover the entire liquid range between melting and liquid vapour critical point. At high densities the dynamics of the liquid metal is characterized by collective excitations. The corresponding dispersion relations indicate the existence of surprisingly stable next neighbouring shells leading to an increase of the propagation speed for the collective modes. Below 2ρ crit. the dynamics changes from collective to localized indicating the existence of molecular aggregates. This interpretation is in accord with a simple model where the properties of a Rb- and a Rb 2 - lattice are calculated using density functional theory. (orig.)

Bearing for liquid metal pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickinson, R.J.; Pennell, W.E.; Wasko, J.

1984-01-01

A liquid metal pump bearing support comprises a series of tangentially oriented spokes that connect the bearing cylinder to the pump internals structure. The spokes may be arranged in a plurality of planes extending from the bearing cylinder to the pump internals with the spokes in one plane being arranged alternately with those in the next plane. The bearing support structure provides the pump with sufficient lateral support for the bearing structure together with the capability of accommodating differential thermal expansion without adversely affecting pump performance

Liquid metal reactor absorber technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitner, A.L.

1990-10-01

The selection of boron carbide as the reference liquid metal reactor absorber material is supported by results presented for irradiation performance, reactivity worth compatibility, and benign failure consequences. Scram response requirements are met easily with current control rod configurations. The trend in absorber design development is toward larger sized pins with fewer pins per bundle, providing economic savings and improved hydraulic characteristics. Very long-life absorber designs appear to be attainable with the application of vented pin and sodium-bonded concepts. 3 refs., 3 figs

Conceptual design of the liquid metal laboratory of the TECHNOFUSION facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abánades, A.; García, A.; Casal, N.; Perlado, J.M.; Ibarra, A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Conceptual design of a liquid Li facility. ► Components and cost estimation. ► Liquid metal laboratory into TEHNOFUSION proposal. - Abstract: The application of liquid metal technology in fusion devices requires R and D related to many phenomena: interaction between liquid metals and structural material as corrosion, erosion and passivation techniques; magneto-hydrodynamics; free surface fluid-dynamics and any other physical aspect that will be needed for their safe reliable operation. In particular, there is a significant shortage of experimental facilities dedicated to the development of the lithium technology. In the framework of the TECHNOFUSION project, an experimental laboratory devoted to the lithium technology development is proposed, in order to shed some light in the path to IFMIF and the design of chamber's first wall and divertors. The conceptual design foresee a development in two stages, the first one consisting on a material testing loop. The second stage proposes the construction of a mock-up of the IFMIF target that will allow to assess the behaviour of a free-surface lithium target under vacuum conditions. In this paper, such conceptual design is addressed.

Stability of Transition-metal Carbides in Liquid Phase Reactions Relevant for Biomass-Based Conversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Souza Macêdo, L.; Stellwagen, D.R.; Teixeira da Silva, V.; Bitter, J.H.

2015-01-01

Transition-metal carbides have been employed for biobased conversions aiming to replace the rare noble metals. However, when reactions are in liquid phase, many authors have observed catalyst deactivation. The main routes of deactivation in liquid phase biobased conversions are coke deposition,

Conceptual design studies for the liquid metal target META:LIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Class, A.G.; Fazio, C.; Fetzer, J.R.; Gordeev, S.

2014-01-01

When the construction of ESS (European Spallation Source) in Sweden was initiated, the target station concept selection group decided to reevaluate a variety of target designs to respect new developments in their selection process. The META:LIC (MEgawatt TArget:Lead bIsmuth Cooled) target concept was developed following an extensive analysis of existing and new proposed designs and reached the level of proof of principle within only 2 years. ESS selected META:LIC as comparative target option for licensing purposes during the design update phase of ESS. The present work describes the design motivation of META:LIC referring to properties and design features of other targets. Therefore, META:LIC design is an evolutionary target which incorporates the extensive experience of liquid metal targets. The modular LBE (Lead Bismuth Eutectic) target concept with focus on the target module is introduced. Both, a window target option for the start of operation and a windowless option with extended lifetime are foreseen. Thermohydraulic simulations show that adequate window cooling can be realized. The stability of the free surface in the windowless option has been shown. Robust target module instrumentation based on free surface levels and the MEGAPIE experience is proposed for target control. Since the META:LIC concept foresees a horizontal extraction for both moderators and target from the monolith a safety concept based on the SNS and JSNS experience is proposed

First measurement of the ionization yield of nuclear recoils in liquid argon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshi, T. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sangiorgio, Samuele [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bernstein, A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Foxe, Michael P. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering; Hagmann, Chris [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Jovanovic, Igor [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering; Kazkaz, K. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Mozin, Vladimir V. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Norman, E. B. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pereverzev, S. V. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Rebassoo, Finn O. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sorensen, Peter F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2014-05-01

Liquid phase argon has long been used as a target medium for particle detection via scintillation light. Recently there has been considerable interest in direct detection of both hypothetical darkmatter particles and coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering. These as-yet unobserved neutral particle interactions are expected to result in a recoiling argon atom O(keV), generally referred to in the literature as a nuclear recoil. This prompts the question of the available electromagnetic signal in a liquid argon detector. In this Letter we report the first measurement of the ionization yield (Qy), detected electrons per unit energy, resulting from nuclear recoils in liquid argon, measured at 6.7 keV. This is also the lowest energy measurement of nuclear recoils in liquid argon.

Thermodynamically self-consistent integral equations and the structure of liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastore, G.; Kahl, G.

1987-01-01

We discuss the application of the new thermodynamically self-consistent integral equations for the determination of the structural properties of liquid metals. We present a detailed comparison of the structure (S(q) and g(r)) for models of liquid alkali metals as obtained from two thermodynamically self-consistent integral equations and some published exact computer simulation results; the range of states extends from the triple point to the expanded metal. The theories which only impose thermodynamic self-consistency without any fitting of external data show an excellent agreement with the simulation results, thus demonstrating that this new type of integral equation is definitely superior to the conventional ones (hypernetted chain, Percus-Yevick, mean spherical approximation, etc). (author)

Dynamics of liquid metal droplets and jets influenced by a strong axial magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, D.; Karcher, Ch

2017-07-01

Non-contact electromagnetic control and shaping of liquid metal free surfaces is crucial in a number of high-temperature metallurgical processes like levitation melting and electromagnetic sealing, among others. Other examples are the electromagnetic bending or stabilization of liquid metal jets that frequently occur in casting or fusion applications. Within this context, we experimentally study the influence of strong axial magnetic fields on the dynamics of falling metal droplets and liquid metal jets. GaInSn in eutectic composition is used as test melt being liquid at room temperature. In the experiments, we use a cryogen-free superconducting magnet (CFM) providing steady homogeneous fields of up to 5 T and allowing a tilt angle between the falling melt and the magnet axis. We vary the magnetic flux density, the tilt angle, the liquid metal flow rate, and the diameter and material of the nozzle (electrically conducting/insulating). Hence, the experiments cover a parameter range of Hartmann numbers Ha, Reynolds numbers Re, and Weber numbers We within 0 rotation ceases and the droplets are stretched in the field direction. Moreover, we observe that the jet breakup into droplets (spheroidization) is suppressed, and in the case of electrically conducting nozzles and tilt, the jets are bent towards the field axis.

Transition metal nuclear magnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pregosin, P.S.

1991-01-01

Transition metal NMR spectroscopy has progressed enormously in recent years. New methods, and specifically solid-state methods and new pulse sequences, have allowed access to data from nuclei with relatively low receptivities with the result that chemists have begun to consider old and new problems, previously unapproachable. Moreover, theory, computational science in particular, now permits the calculation of not just 13 C, 15 N and other light nuclei chemical shifts, but heavy main-group element and transition metals as well. These two points, combined with increasing access to high field pulsed spectrometer has produced a wealth of new data on the NMR transition metals. A new series of articles concerned with measuring, understanding and using the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the metals of Group 3-12 is presented. (author)

High-power spallation target using a heavy liquid metal free surface flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litfin, K.; Fetzer, J.R.; Batta, A.; Class, A.G.; Wetzel, Th.

2015-01-01

A prototype of a heavy liquid metal free surface target as proposed for the multi-purpose hybrid research reactor for high-tech applications in Mol, Belgium, has been set up and experimentally investigated at the Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory. A stable operation was demonstrated in a wide range of operating conditions and the surface shape was detected and compared with numerical pre-calculations employing Star-CD. Results show a very good agreement of experiment and numerical predictions which is an essential input for other windowless target designs like the META:LIC target for the European Spallation Source. (author)

The nuclear quantum liquid off equilibrium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjoernholm, S.

1986-01-01

Fusion, fission, quasifission and deep inelastic scattering of heavy ions sample the behaviour of the nuclear quantum liquid when it is far from equilibrium. This considerably augments the picture of nuclei obtained on the basis of specific perturbative disturbances of the equilibrium configurations, and from compound nucleus decay. Some peculiar properties of a quantum liquid composed of fermions ( 3 He or nucleons) with a mean free path that exceeds the dimensions of the system are reviewed and discussed in relation to measurements of mass asymmetry relaxation in quasifission. It is concluded that heavy ion reactions are especially well suited for studying quantum liquids in the limit where interactions between the particles and the self-consistent surface dominate the dissipative behaviour and where dissipation-fluctuation correlations are important. (orig.)

Liquid metal-to-gas leak-detection instruments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matlin, E.; Witherspoon, J.E.; Johnson, J.L.

1982-01-01

It is desirable for liquid-metal-cooled reactors that small liquid metal-to-gas leaks be reliably detected. Testing has been performed on a number of detection systems to evaluate their sensitivity, response time, and performance characteristics. This testing has been scheduled in three phases. The first phase was aimed at screening out the least suitable detectors and optimizing the performance of the most promising. In the second phase, candidates were tested in a 1500 ft 3 walk-in type enclosure in which leaks were simulated on 24-in. and 3-in. piping. In the third phase of testing, selected type detectors were tested in the 1500-ft 3 enclosure with Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) pipe insulation configurations and detector tubing configuration with cell gas recirculation simulated. Endurance testing of detection equipment was also performed as part of this effort. Test results have been shown that aerosol-type detectors will reliably detect leaks as small as a few grams per hour when sampling pipe insulation annuli

The mechanism of liquid metal jet formation in the cathode spot of vacuum arc discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Gashkov, M. A.; Zubarev, N. M.; Mesyats, G. A.; Uimanov, I. V.

2016-08-01

We have theoretically studied the dynamics of molten metal during crater formation in the cathode spot of vacuum arc discharge. At the initial stage, a liquid-metal ridge is formed around the crater. This process has been numerically simulated in the framework of the two-dimensional axisymmetric heat and mass transfer problem in the approximation of viscous incompressible liquid. At a more developed stage, the motion of liquid metal loses axial symmetry, which corresponds to a tendency toward jet formation. The development of azimuthal instabilities of the ridge is analyzed in terms of dispersion relations for surface waves. It is shown that maximum increments correspond to instability of the Rayleigh-Plateau type. Estimations of the time of formation of liquid metal jets and their probable number are obtained.

Lime treatment of liquid waste containing heavy metals, radionuclides and organics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DuPont, A.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on lime treatment of liquid waste containing heavy metals, radio nuclides and organics. Lime is wellknown for its use in softening drinking water the treatment of municipal wastewaters. It is becoming important in the treatment of industrial wastewater and liquid inorganic hazardous waste; however, there are many questions regarding the use of lime for the treatment of liquid hazardous waste

Liquid metals replace water steam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozlov, V

1976-12-01

The techniques are described of power generation with regard to their effectiveness which depends on the efficiency of the conversion of thermal energy into electric energy. The magnetohydrodynamic conversion of energy is based on the use of induced electromotive force which results from the movement of the conductor in the magnetic field. The use of liquid metal as the working medium makes it possible to increase the initial temperature of the magnetohydrodynamic cycle to the limit of the highest technically attainable temperatures. The total efficiency of energy conversion in magnetohydrodynamic converters is 2 to 6%.

Electromagnetic device for confining a liquid metal and regulating the flow rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garnier, Marcel; Moreau, R.J.

1977-01-01

The description is given of a device for confining a liquid metal jet, characterized in that it comprises in combination, at the jet outlet nozzle, (a) means for producing a high pressure in the jet composed of a coil around the nozzle and located on its outlet, in combination with facilities for passing a high frequency alternating current through the coil and (b) means for suppressing this high pressure. It is stated that this device has many uses, particularly for allowing the use of a relatively large diameter orifice, hence not subject to the risk of clogging, in order to produce a jet with a relatively small diameter. This invention particularly concerns the application of this device for regulating a flow of liquid metal at an outlet orifice located at the lower end of a receptacle containing this liquid metal [fr

Control of Partial Coalescence of Self-Assembled Metal Nano-Particles across Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Templates towards Long Range Meso-Porous Metal Frameworks Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludovic F. Dumée

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The formation of purely metallic meso-porous metal thin films by partial interface coalescence of self-assembled metal nano-particles across aqueous solutions of Pluronics triblock lyotropic liquid crystals is demonstrated for the first time. Small angle X-ray scattering was used to study the influence of the thin film composition and processing conditions on the ordered structures. The structural characteristics of the meso-structures formed demonstrated to primarily rely on the lyotropic liquid crystal properties while the nature of the metal nano-particles used as well as the their diameters were found to affect the ordered structure formation. The impact of the annealing temperature on the nano-particle coalescence and efficiency at removing the templating lyotropic liquid crystals was also analysed. It is demonstrated that the lyotropic liquid crystal is rendered slightly less thermally stable, upon mixing with metal nano-particles and that low annealing temperatures are sufficient to form purely metallic frameworks with average pore size distributions smaller than 500 nm and porosity around 45% with potential application in sensing, catalysis, nanoscale heat exchange, and molecular separation.

Liquid level measurement in high level nuclear waste slurries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weeks, G.E.; Heckendorn, F.M.; Postles, R.L.

1990-01-01

Accurate liquid level measurement has been a difficult problem to solve for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The nuclear waste sludge tends to plug or degrade most commercially available liquid-level measurement sensors. A liquid-level measurement system that meets demanding accuracy requirements for the DWPF has been developed. The system uses a pneumatic 1:1 pressure repeater as a sensor and a computerized error correction system. 2 figs

An overview of IPPE research on liquid metal fast reactor thermohydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorokin, A. P.; Efanov, A. D.; Zhukov, A. V.; Bogoslovskaia, G. P.

2003-01-01

The paper presents brief information on the most significant researches in the fields of liquid metal hydrodynamics and heat transfer performed in the State Scientific Center of Russian Federation 'Institute for Physics and Power Engineering' named after A.I.Leypunski applied to sodium-cooled fast reactors. Experimental methods for studying liquid metal thermohydraulics and applied measurement techniques are overviewed briefly in the paper. Some results of fundamental thermohydraulic investigations, such as quasi-universal character of velocity and temperature profile in liquid metals, if considered normally to the channel wall etc. are presented. Specific features of heat transfer in liquid metal cooled fuel subassembly are mentioned, among them there are: high level of coolant temperature; significant influence of an interchannel exchange on velocity and temperature distribution; an availability of contact thermal resistance; large azimuthal non-uniformity of velocity and temperature; 'conjugate' problem of heat transfer in combined geometry of fuel pin; an absence of stabilization of heat transfer in non-standard channels; an influence of non-uniform heat generation. Special attention is given to the temperature fields in fuel subassembly subjected to deformation because of radioactive swelling and creeping, as well as in case of blockage of a part of subassembly cross section. Some results of thermohydraulic investigation are demonstrated for intermediate heat exchangers, pressurized head collectors. Also the developed methods and codes of thermohydraulic calculations applied to fast reactor core are considered: subchannel approach, porous body model

Graphite-based extinguishants for liquid metal fires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.M.; Gardener, N.J.L.

1987-01-01

Effective extinguishants for liquid alkali metal fires must be provided for all LMFBRs. Traditional sodium salt based extinguishants have disadvantages. An intercalation compound of graphite was identified as a possible alternative. Following successful tests on fires of up to 25 m 2 area the graphite based extinguishant has been introduced by the UKAEA at Dounreay. (author)

Role of isospin in nuclear-matter liquid-gas phase transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducoin, C.

2006-10-01

Nuclear matter presents a phase transition of the liquid-gas type. This well-known feature is due to the nuclear interaction profile (mean-range attractive, short-range repulsive). Symmetric-nuclear-matter thermodynamics is thus analogous to that of a Van der Waals fluid. The study shows up to be more complex in the case of asymmetric matter, composed of neutrons and protons in an arbitrary proportion. Isospin, which distinguishes both constituents, gives a measure of this proportion. Studying asymmetric matter, isospin is an additional degree of freedom, which means one more dimension to consider in the space of observables. The nuclear liquid-gas transition is associated with the multi-fragmentation phenomenon observed in heavy-ion collisions, and to compact-star physics: the involved systems are neutron rich, so they are affected by the isospin degree of freedom. The present work is a theoretical study of isospin effects which appear in the asymmetric nuclear matter liquid-gas phase transition. A mean-field approach is used, with a Skyrme nuclear effective interaction. We demonstrate the presence of a first-order phase transition for asymmetric matter, and study the isospin distillation phenomenon associated with this transition. The case of phase separation at thermodynamic equilibrium is compared to spinodal decomposition. Finite size effects are addressed, as well as the influence of the electron gas which is present in the astrophysical context. (author)

Advances in liquid metal cooled ADS systems, and useful results for the design of IFMIF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massaut, V.; Debruyn, D.; Decreton, M.

2007-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Liquid metal cooled Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) have a lot of design commonalities with the design of IFMIF. The use of a powerful accelerator and a liquid metal spallation source makes it similar to the main features of the IFMIF irradiator. Developments in the field of liquid metal ADS can thus be very useful for the design phase of IFMIF, and synergy between both domains should be enhanced to avoid dubbing work already done. The liquid metal ADS facilities are developed for testing materials under high fast (> 1 MeV) neutron flux, and also for studying the transmutation of actinides as foreseen in the P and T (Partitioning and Transmutation) strategy of future fission industry. The ADS are mostly constituted of a sub-critical fission fuel assembly matrix, a spallation source (situated at the centre of the fuel arrangement) and a powerful accelerator targeting the spallation source. In liquid metal ADS, the spallation source is a liquid metal (like Pb-Bi) which is actively cooled to remove the power generated by the particle beam, spallation reactions and neutrons. Based on an advanced ADS design (e.g. the MYRRHA/XT-ADS facility), the paper shows the various topics which are common for both facilities (ADS and IFMIF) and highlights their respective specificities, leading to focused R and D activities. This would certainly cover the common aspects related to high power accelerators, liquid metal targets and beam-target coupling. But problems of safety, radioprotection, source heating and cooling, neutrons shielding, etc... lead also to common features and developments. Results already obtained for the ADS development will illustrate this synergy. This paper will therefore allow to take profit of recent developments in both fission and fusion programs and enhance the collaboration among the R and D teams in both domains. (authors)

Advances in liquid metal cooled ADS systems, and useful results for the design of IFMIF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massaut, V.; Debruyn, D. [SCK CEN, Mol (Belgium); Decreton, M. [Ghent Univ., Dept. of Applied Physics (Belgium)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Liquid metal cooled Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) have a lot of design commonalities with the design of IFMIF. The use of a powerful accelerator and a liquid metal spallation source makes it similar to the main features of the IFMIF irradiator. Developments in the field of liquid metal ADS can thus be very useful for the design phase of IFMIF, and synergy between both domains should be enhanced to avoid dubbing work already done. The liquid metal ADS facilities are developed for testing materials under high fast (> 1 MeV) neutron flux, and also for studying the transmutation of actinides as foreseen in the P and T (Partitioning and Transmutation) strategy of future fission industry. The ADS are mostly constituted of a sub-critical fission fuel assembly matrix, a spallation source (situated at the centre of the fuel arrangement) and a powerful accelerator targeting the spallation source. In liquid metal ADS, the spallation source is a liquid metal (like Pb-Bi) which is actively cooled to remove the power generated by the particle beam, spallation reactions and neutrons. Based on an advanced ADS design (e.g. the MYRRHA/XT-ADS facility), the paper shows the various topics which are common for both facilities (ADS and IFMIF) and highlights their respective specificities, leading to focused R and D activities. This would certainly cover the common aspects related to high power accelerators, liquid metal targets and beam-target coupling. But problems of safety, radioprotection, source heating and cooling, neutrons shielding, etc... lead also to common features and developments. Results already obtained for the ADS development will illustrate this synergy. This paper will therefore allow to take profit of recent developments in both fission and fusion programs and enhance the collaboration among the R and D teams in both domains. (authors)

Progress on PRISM, an inherently safe, economic, and testable advanced liquid metal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tippets, F.E.; Salerno, L.N.; Boardman, C.E.; Kwant, W.; Murata, R.E.; Snyder, C.R.

1987-01-01

This paper reports progress on the design of PRISM (Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module) under the DOE-sponsored innovative reactor program now in its third year at General Electric. The purpose of this program is to develop a design for an inherently safe, reliable, and marketable liquid metal fast reactor power plant. The PRISM design approach includes the following key elements: Compact sodium-cooled pool-type reactor modules that are sized to enable factory fabrication, economical shipment to inland as well as water-side sites, and economical full-scale prototype testing for design certification; Nuclear safety-related envelope limited to the reactor modules and their service systems; Inherent, passive shutdown heat removal for loss-of-cooling events; Inherent, passive reactivity shutdown for failure-to-scram events

Dual-plane ultrasound flow measurements in liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Büttner, Lars; Nauber, Richard; Burger, Markus; Czarske, Jürgen; Räbiger, Dirk; Franke, Sven; Eckert, Sven

2013-01-01

An ultrasound measurement system for dual-plane, two-component flow velocity measurements especially in opaque liquids is presented. Present-day techniques for measuring local flow structures in opaque liquids disclose considerable drawbacks concerning line-wise measurement of single ultrasound probes. For studying time-varying flow patterns, conventional ultrasound techniques are either limited by time-consuming mechanical traversing or by the sequential operation of single probes. The measurement system presented within this paper employs four transducer arrays with a total of 100 single elements which allows for flow mapping without mechanical traversing. A high frame rate of several 10 Hz has been achieved due to an efficient parallelization scheme using time-division multiplexing realized by a microcontroller-based electronic switching matrix. The functionality and capability of the measurement system are demonstrated on a liquid metal flow at room temperature inside a cube driven by a rotating magnetic field (RMF). For the first time, the primary and the secondary flow have been studied in detail and simultaneously using a configuration with two crossed measurement planes. The experimental data confirm predictions made by numeric simulation. After a sudden switching on of the RMF, inertial oscillations of the secondary flow were observed by means of a time-resolved measurement with a frame rate of 3.4 Hz. The experiments demonstrate that the presented measurement system is able to investigate complex and transient flow structures in opaque liquids. Due to its ability to study the temporal evolution of local flow structures, the measurement system could provide considerable progress for fluid dynamics research, in particular for applications in the food industry or liquid metal technologies. (paper)

Dual-plane ultrasound flow measurements in liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Büttner, Lars; Nauber, Richard; Burger, Markus; Räbiger, Dirk; Franke, Sven; Eckert, Sven; Czarske, Jürgen

2013-05-01

An ultrasound measurement system for dual-plane, two-component flow velocity measurements especially in opaque liquids is presented. Present-day techniques for measuring local flow structures in opaque liquids disclose considerable drawbacks concerning line-wise measurement of single ultrasound probes. For studying time-varying flow patterns, conventional ultrasound techniques are either limited by time-consuming mechanical traversing or by the sequential operation of single probes. The measurement system presented within this paper employs four transducer arrays with a total of 100 single elements which allows for flow mapping without mechanical traversing. A high frame rate of several 10 Hz has been achieved due to an efficient parallelization scheme using time-division multiplexing realized by a microcontroller-based electronic switching matrix. The functionality and capability of the measurement system are demonstrated on a liquid metal flow at room temperature inside a cube driven by a rotating magnetic field (RMF). For the first time, the primary and the secondary flow have been studied in detail and simultaneously using a configuration with two crossed measurement planes. The experimental data confirm predictions made by numeric simulation. After a sudden switching on of the RMF, inertial oscillations of the secondary flow were observed by means of a time-resolved measurement with a frame rate of 3.4 Hz. The experiments demonstrate that the presented measurement system is able to investigate complex and transient flow structures in opaque liquids. Due to its ability to study the temporal evolution of local flow structures, the measurement system could provide considerable progress for fluid dynamics research, in particular for applications in the food industry or liquid metal technologies.

Flow induced vibrations in liquid metal fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

Flow induced vibrations are well known phenomena in industry. Engineers have to estimate their destructive effects on structures. In the nuclear industry, flow induced vibrations are assessed early in the design process, and the results are incorporated in the design procedures. In many cases, model testing is used to supplement the design process to ensure that detrimental behaviour due to flow induced vibrations will not occur in the component in question. While these procedures attempt to minimize the probability of adverse performance of the various components, there is a problem in the extrapolation of analytical design techniques and/or model testing to actual plant operation. Therefore, sodium tests or vibrational measurements of components in the reactor system are used to provide additional assurance. This report is a general survey of experimental and calculational methods in this area of structural mechanics. The report is addressed to specialists and institutions in industrialized and developing countries who are responsible for the design and operation of liquid metal fast breeder reactors. 92 refs, 90 figs, 8 tabs

PREFACE: 13th International Conference on Liquid and Amorphous Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Popel, Pjotr; Gelchinskii, Boris; Sidorov, Valeriy; Son, Leonid; Sabirzjanov, Alexandre

2007-06-01

The state of the art in the field of liquid and amorphous metals and alloys is regularly updated through two series of complementary international conferences, the LAM (Liquid and Amorphous Metals) and the RQ (Rapidly Quenched Materials). The first series of the conferences started as LM-1 in 1966 at Brookhaven for the basic understanding of liquid metals. The subsequent LM conferences were held in Tokyo (1972) and Bristol (1976). The conference was renewed in Grenoble (1980) as a LAM conference including amorphous metals and continued in Los Angeles (1983), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1986), Kyoto (1989), Vienna (1992), Chicago (1995), Dortmund (1998), Yokohama (2001) and Metz (2004). The conferences are mainly devoted to liquid and amorphous metals and alloys. However, communications on some non-metallic systems such as semi conductors, quasicrystals etc, were accepted as well. The conference tradition strongly encourages the participation of junior researchers and graduate students. The 13th conference of the LAM series was organized in Ekaterinburg, Russia, by the Institute of Metallurgy of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMet UB RAS) and Ural State Pedagogical University (USPU) and held on 8-13 July 2007 under the chairmanship of Professors Pjotr Popel (USPU) and Boris Gelchinskii (IMet UB RAS). There were 242 active and about 60 guest participants from 20 countries who attended the conference. There were no parallel sessions and all oral reports were separated into three groups: invited talks (40 min), full-scale (25 min) and brief (15 min) oral reports. The program included 10 sessions, ranging from purely theoretical subjects to technological application of molten and amorphous alloys. The following sessions took place: A) Electronic structure and transport, magnetic properties; B) Phase transitions; C) Structure; D) Atomic dynamics and transport; E) Thermodynamics; F) Modelling, simulation; G) Surface and interface; H) Mechanical properties

Feasible homopolar dynamo with sliding liquid-metal contacts

OpenAIRE

Priede, Jānis; Avalos-Zúñiga, Raúl

2013-01-01

We present a feasible homopolar dynamo design consisting of a flat, multi-arm spiral coil, which is placed above a fast-spinning metal ring and connected to the latter by sliding liquid-metal electrical contacts. Using a simple, analytically solvable axisymmetric model, we determine the optimal design of such a setup. For small contact resistance, the lowest magnetic Reynolds number, Rm~34.6, at which the dynamo can work, is attained at the optimal ratio of the outer and inner radii of the ri...

A seismic performance and cost comparison of top and bottom supported liquid metal reactor vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, T.M.; Kiciman, O.K.; Petrozelli, J.F.

1989-01-01

It is the premise of this paper that the revision of a pool LMR from a TSRV configuration to a specific bottom supported reactor vessel (BSRV) configuration can resolve the above TSRV disadvantages related to load path length and diversity, thereby improving seismic performance and simultaneously reducing RV block costs by reducing weights. This paper demonstrates this premise by comparing a reference TSRV block with a specific BSRV block design. Recent capital cost estimates ($/kWe) for U.S. liquid metal reactor (LMR) plant designs reveal that the balance of plant costs could be reduced below that of the balance of plant costs for a comparable light water reactor plant. However, in regions of high seismicity, non-seismically isolated LMR nuclear steam supply system weights are costs per kWe are two to three times the weights and costs of light water reactor nuclear steam supply systems. While all portions of the LMR nuclear steam supply system require examination for potential cost reductions, the focus of this paper is the reactor vessel (RV) block for a large pool plant

Study of MHD problems in liquid metal blankets of fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael, I.

1984-12-01

This study describes in a concise form the state of knowledge regarding MHD problems to be expected in case of use of liquid metal in the blankets of fusion reactors with magnetic confinement. MHD pressure losses and MHD friction coefficients in the straight channel, in bent sections and in case of variation of the channel cross section play a major role because the high MHD flow resistances call for high pumping powers. Influencing the velocity profile transverse to the main flow direction of the liquid metal by application of an external, strong magnetic field bears consequences on the release and transport of corrosion products in the liquid metal circuit and on the heat transfer. Possibilities of reducing the MHD effects are discussed. However, it becomes obvious that an account of the lack of experimental results there are still major gaps in the knowledge of MHD effects occurring in strong magnetic fields. These gaps can be greatly reduced by implementation of an experimental program as proposed in this report. (orig.) [de

Application of probabilistic risk assessment to advanced liquid metal reactor designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, W.P.; Temme, M.I.

1987-01-01

The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) has been active in the development and application of probabilistic risk assessment methods within its liquid metal breeder reactor development program for the past eleven years. These methods have been applied to comparative risk evaluations, the selection of design features for reactor concepts, the selection and emphasis of research and development programs, and regulatory discussions. The application of probabilistic methods to reactors which are in the conceptual design stage presents unique data base, modeling, and timing challenges, and excellent opportunities to improve the final design. We provide here the background and insights on the experience which the US DOE liquid metal breeder reactor program has had in its application of probabilistic methods to the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant project, the Conceptual Design State of the Large Development Plant, and updates on this design. Plans for future applications of probabilistic risk assessment methods are also discussed. The US DOE is embarking on an innovative design program for liquid metal reactors. (author)

Sodium leak detection system for liquid metal cooled nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modarres, D.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a device for detecting sodium leaks from a reactor vessel of a liquid sodium cooled nuclear reactor the reactor vessel being concentrically surrounded by a a containment vessel so as to define an airtight gap containing argon. It comprises: a light source for generating a first light beam, the first light beam having first and second predominant wavelengths, the first wavelength being substantially equal to an absorption line of sodium and the second wavelength being chosen such that it is not absorbed by sodium and argon; an optical multiplexer optically coupled to the light source; optically coupled to the multiplexer, each of the sensors being embedded in the containment vessel of the reactor, each of the sensors projecting the first light beam into the gap and collecting the first light beam after it has reflected off of a surface of the reactor vessel; a beam splitter optically coupled to each of the sensors through the multiplexer, the beam splitter splitting the first light beam into second and third light beams of substantially equal intensities; a first filter dispersed within a path of second light beam for filtering the second wavelength out of the third light beam; first and second detector beams disposed with in the paths of the second and third light beams so as to detect the intensities of the second and third light beams, respectively; and processing means connected to the first and second detector means for calculating the amount of the first wavelength which is absorbed when passing through the argon

Pseudoclassical approach to electron and ion density correlations in simple liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vericat, F.; Tosi, M.P.; Pastore, G.

1986-04-01

Electron-electron and electron-ion structural correlations in simple liquid metals are treated by using effective pair potentials to incorporate quantal effects into a pseudoclassical description of the electron fluid. An effective pair potential between simultaneous electron density fluctuations is first constructed from known properties of the degenerate jellium model, which are the plasmon sum rule, the Kimball-Niklasson relation and Yasuhara's values of the electron pair distribution function at contact. An analytic expression is thereby obtained in the Debye-Hueckel approximation for the electronic structure factor in jellium over a range of density appropriate to metals, with results which compare favourably with those of fully quantal evaluations. A simple pseudoclassical model is then set up for a liquid metal: this involves a model of charged hard spheres for the ion-ion potential and an empty core model for the electron-ion potential, the Coulombic tails being scaled as required by the relation between the long-wavelength partial structure factors and the isothermal compressibility of the metal. The model is solved analytically by a pseudoclassical linear response treatment of the electron-ion coupling and numerical results are reported for partial structure factors in liquid sodium and liquid beryllium. Contact is made for the latter system with data on the electron-electron structure factor in the crystal from inelastic X-ray scattering experiments of Eisenberger, Marra and Brown. (author)

The chemistry of molten salt mixtures: application to the reductive extraction of lanthanides and actinides by a liquid metal; Chimie des melanges de sels fondus. Application a l'extraction reductrice d'actinides et de lanthanides par un metal liquide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finne, J

2005-10-15

The design of a process of An/Ln separation by liquid - liquid extraction can be used for on-line purification of the molten salt in a molten salt nuclear reactor (Generation IV) as well as reprocessing various spent fuels. In order to establish the chemical properties of An and Ln in molten salt mediums, E - pO{sub 2} - diagrams were established for the relevant chemical elements. With the purpose of checking the possibilities of separating the An from Ln, the real activity coefficients in liquid metals were measured. An experimental protocol was developed and validated on the Gd/Ga system. It was then transferred to radioactive environment to measure the activity coefficient of Pu in Ga. The results made it possible to estimate the effectiveness of the Pu extraction and its separation from Gd and Ce. The selectivity was shown to decrease with the temperature and Al and Ga showed a good selectivity between Pu and the Ce in fluoride medium. (author)

Various methods for determination of liquid viscosity with nuclear track membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Shilun

1991-01-01

A systematic study has been performed of the methods for determination of liquid viscosity with nuclear track membranes. Absolute and relative measurements have been suggested, the latter including relative measurements of absolute viscosity and kinematic viscosity. The study shows that the nuclear track membrane is a unique element for determination of liquid viscosity because it is small in volume, accurate in results and easy to manipulate in industries and laboratories

Alloying of Yb-Cu and Yb-Ag utilizing liquid ammonia metal solutions of ytterbium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imamura, H.; Yoshimura, T.; Sakata, Y.

2003-01-01

In the course of the studies on preparation of novel compounds using the dissolution of Eu or Yb metals in liquid ammonia, the formation of Yb-Cu and Yb-Ag intermetallic films has been found. When Cu or Ag metal powders were placed in a reactor containing a solution of Yb metal in liquid ammonia, the dissolved Yb readily react with the Cu or Ag metal particles to form surface alloy compounds. X-ray diffraction of Yb-Cu showed that upon thermal treatment above 673 K, the Yb metal deposited on the Cu particles reacted together to be transformed into the YbCu 6.5 intermetallic compound. A characteristic endothermic peak at 749 K, due to alloying of Yb-Cu, was observed by the differential scanning calorimeter measurements. By use of the high reactivity of liquid ammonia metal solutions of ytterbium, it was found that the ytterbium intermetallic films were readily formed under mild conditions. Yb-Cu and Yb-Ag exhibited enhanced catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of ethene as a result of alloying

Acoustical study of electro- and thermal conductivity of liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tekuchev, V.V.; Rygalov, L.N.; Ivanova, I.V.; Barashkov, B.I.

2003-01-01

One established a link between electrical, elastic and structural properties of electronic smelts. One calculated polyterms of resistance and thermal conductivity of liquid metals (Be, Cd, U, V, Mo, Cr, rare-earth metals) on the basis of data covering both melting and boiling points. For some metals the values were obtained for the first time. To analyze kinetic properties of metals under high temperatures one should apply complex many-particles model representations and efficient computing equipment. It is pointed out that essential problems blocking efforts to tackle the mentioned task result in necessity to find simple though approximate models describing satisfactorily properties of metals [ru

Molecular dynamics simulation of self-diffusion coefficients for liquid metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ju Yuan-Yuan; Zhang Qing-Ming; Gong Zi-Zheng; Ji Guang-Fu

2013-01-01

The temperature-dependent coefficients of self-diffusion for liquid metals are simulated by molecular dynamics methods based on the embedded-atom-method (EAM) potential function. The simulated results show that a good inverse linear relation exists between the natural logarithm of self-diffusion coefficients and temperature, though the results in the literature vary somewhat, due to the employment of different potential functions. The estimated activation energy of liquid metals obtained by fitting the Arrhenius formula is close to the experimental data. The temperature-dependent shear-viscosities obtained from the Stokes—Einstein relation in conjunction with the results of molecular dynamics simulation are generally consistent with other values in the literature. (atomic and molecular physics)

Liquid metal reactor core material HT9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. H.; Kuk, I. H.; Ryu, W. S. and others

1998-03-01

A state-of-the art is surveyed on the liquid metal reactor core materials HT9. The purpose of this report is to give an insight for choosing and developing the materials to be applied to the KAERI prototype liquid metal reactor which is planned for the year of 2010. In-core stability of cladding materials is important to the extension of fuel burnup. Austenitic stainless steel (AISI 316) has been used as core material in the early LMR due to the good mechanical properties at high temperatures, but it has been found to show a poor swelling resistance. So many efforts have been made to solve this problem that HT9 have been developed. HT9 is 12Cr-1MoVW steel. The microstructure of HT9 consisted of tempered martensite with dispersed carbide. HT9 has superior irradiation swelling resistance as other BCC metals, and good sodium compatibility. HT9 has also a good irradiation creep properties below 500 dg C, but irradiation creep properties are degraded above 500 dg C. Researches are currently in progress to modify the HT9 in order to improve the irradiation creep properties above 500 dg C. New design studies for decreasing the core temperature below 500 dg C are needed to use HT9 as a core material. On the contrary, decrease of the thermal efficiency may occur due to lower-down of the operation temperature. (author). 51 refs., 6 tabs., 19 figs

An Electrochemical Investigation of the Chemical Diffusivity in Liquid Metal Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga, Salvador A.

The liquid metal battery has been shown to be a viable candidate for grid-scale energy storage, due to its fast kinetics and ability to be constructed from economically feasible materials. Various of the liquid metal couples that form high stable voltages, such as the calcium chemistries, are rate limited because they tend to form solid intermetallic compounds with high melting points. In order to understand and better engineer these batteries, the kinetic properties of these liquid alloys, in particular the chemical diffusivity, must be known accurately so that it can be used as input in computational simulations to avoid the nucleation of any solids. Unfortunately, the dominant experimental methods for measuring diffusion in liquid metals today are unreliable because the measurement timescales are on the order of days, require long capillaries susceptible to buoyancy-driven flow from temperature fluctuations, and composition analysis must be done ex-situ as a solid. To counter all these problems, a new and novel method for measuring the chemical diffusivity of metals in liquid alloys derived from electrochemical principles is presented in this thesis. This new method has the advantage of operating in shorter times scales of minutes rather than days, and requires the use of small capillaries which collectively minimize the effect of convectively-driven flow caused from temperature gradients. This new method was derived by solving the same boundary conditions required by the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique for solid-state electrodes. To verify the validity of the new theoretical derivation, the method was used to measure the chemical diffusivity of calcium in liquid bismuth within the temperature range of 550 - 700 °C using a three-electrode setup with a ternary molten salt electrolyte. Three compositions where studied (5% Ca-Bi, 10% Ca-Bi, and 15% Ca-Bi) for comparison. The chemical diffusion coefficient was found to range between (6.77 +/- 0.21)x

The PFR challenge: how to dispose of 1500t of liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

The decommissioning of liquid metal cooled FBRs presents many interesting challenges requiring innovative engineering solutions. In advance of the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) at Dounreay in Scotland being shut down in 1994 the owners, UKAEA, commissioned a series of risk and cost assessment studies to determine the least risk, lowest cost long term strategy. This concluded that a priority was safe disposal of the large inventories of liquid metal coolant. UK companies were invited to take up the challenge. (author)

Liquid metals replace water steam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozlov, V.

1976-01-01

The techniques are described of power generation with regard to their effectiveness which depends on the efficiency of the conversion of thermal energy into electric energy. The magnetohydrodynamic conversion of energy is based on the use of induced electromotive force which results from the movement of the conductor in the magnetic field. The use of liquid metal as the working medium makes it possible to increase the initial temperature of the magnetohydrodynamic cycle to the limit of the highest technically attainable temperatures. The total efficiency of energy conversion in magnetohydrodynamic converters is 2 to 6%. (J.B.)

Dispersion relations of the acoustic modes in divalent liquid metals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inui Masanori

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Collective dynamics in liquid Ca and liquid Cd was studied by inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS. Using our experimental technique to prepare proper sample cells and high performance of an IXS beamline (BL35XU at SPring-8 in Japan, the dynamic structure factor with reasonable statistics was obtained for these divalent liquid metals. For both liquids, the dynamic structure factor at low Q exhibits a central peak with a shoulder or small hump clearly visible on each side, and the inelastic excitation energy determined using the model function composed of Lorentzian and the damped harmonic oscillator function disperses with increasing Q. The dispersion curves of these liquids were compared with that of the longitudinal acoustic phonon in each crystalline phase. From these results, clear difference in the interatomic interaction be- tween liquid Ca and liquid Cd was inferred.

Separation of some metal ions using coupled transport supported liquid membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhary, M.A.

1993-01-01

Liquid membrane extraction processes has become very popular due to their superiority in many ways over other separation techniques. In coupled transport membranes the metal ions can be transported across the membrane against their concentration gradient under the influence of chemical potential difference. Liquid membranes consisting of a carrier-cum-diluent, supported in microporous polymeric hydrophobic films have been studied for transport of metal ions like U(VI), Cr(VI), Be(II), V(V), Ti(IV), Zn(II), Cd(II), Hf(IV), W(VI), and Co(II). The present paper presents basic data with respect to flux and permeabilities of these metal ions across membranes based on experimental results and theoretical equations, using different carriers and diluents and provides a brief reference to possibility of such membranes for large scale applications. (author)

Fermi liquid, clustering, and structure factor in dilute warm nuclear matter

Science.gov (United States)

Röpke, G.; Voskresensky, D. N.; Kryukov, I. A.; Blaschke, D.

2018-02-01

Properties of nuclear systems at subsaturation densities can be obtained from different approaches. We demonstrate the use of the density autocorrelation function which is related to the isothermal compressibility and, after integration, to the equation of state. This way we connect the Landau Fermi liquid theory well elaborated in nuclear physics with the approaches to dilute nuclear matter describing cluster formation. A quantum statistical approach is presented, based on the cluster decomposition of the polarization function. The fundamental quantity to be calculated is the dynamic structure factor. Comparing with the Landau Fermi liquid theory which is reproduced in lowest approximation, the account of bound state formation and continuum correlations gives the correct low-density result as described by the second virial coefficient and by the mass action law (nuclear statistical equilibrium). Going to higher densities, the inclusion of medium effects is more involved compared with other quantum statistical approaches, but the relation to the Landau Fermi liquid theory gives a promising approach to describe not only thermodynamic but also collective excitations and non-equilibrium properties of nuclear systems in a wide region of the phase diagram.

The questions of liquid metal two-phase flow modelling in the FBR core channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martsiniouk, D.Ye.; Sorokin, A.P.

2000-01-01

The two-fluid model representation for calculations of two-phase flow characteristics in the FBR fuel pin bundles with liquid metal cooling is presented and analysed. Two conservation equations systems of the mass, momentum and energy have been written for each phase. Components accounted the mass-, momentum- and heat transfer throughout the interface occur in the macro-field equations after the averaging procedure realisation. The pattern map and correlations for two-fluid model in vertical liquid metal flows are presented. The description of processes interphase mass- and heat exchange and interphase friction is determined by the two-phase flow regime. The opportunity of the liquid metal two-phase flow regime definition is analysed. (author)

Corrosion experiment in the first liquid metal LiPb loop of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Qunying; Zhang Maolian; Zhu Zhiqiang; Gao Sheng; Wu Yican; Li Yanfen; Song Yong; Li Chunjing; Kong Mingguang

2007-01-01

The liquid metal LiPb blanket design is one of the most promising designs for future fusion power reactors and under wide research in the world. The first liquid metal LiPb loop in China named DRAGON-I was built in 2005 in order to do research on characteristics of liquid metal LiPb such as its corrosion to structural materials of the blankets and so on. The first corrosion experiment in flowing LiPb with a speed of 0.08 m/s at 480 deg. C for 500 h was done in October 2005 on CLAM (China low activation martensitic) steel and 316L stainless steel for comparison. The weights and compositions, etc. of the specimens before and after corrosion experiment were tested and analyzed, the microstructures of the specimens were also inspected by SEM. The results show that the corrosion of CLAM steel is relatively slight, while that for 316L is obvious and very serious. Further study on corrosion behavior of CLAM for longer time experiment in liquid LiPb at different temperatures and flow speeds will be carried out in the near future

Transient performance of a thermal energy storage-based heat sink using a liquid metal as the phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Li-Wu; Wu, Yu-Yue; Xiao, Yu-Qi; Zeng, Yi; Zhang, Yi-Ling; Yu, Zi-Tao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A liquid metal is adopted as the PCM in a thermal energy storage-based heat sink. • Transient performance of the heat sink is tested in comparison to an organic PCM. • The liquid metal has a similar volumetric latent heat of fusion to the organic PCM. • Outperformance of the liquid metal is found due to its higher thermal conductivity. • Liquid metals are preferred when the system weight is less important than volume. - Abstract: In this Technical Note, the use of a liquid metal, i.e., a low melting point Pb–Sn–In–Bi alloy, as the phase change material (PCM) in thermal energy storage-based heat sinks is tested in comparison to an organic PCM (1-octadecanol) having a similar melting point of ∼60 °C. The thermophysical properties of the two types of PCM are characterized, revealing that the liquid metal is much more conductive while both have nearly identical volumetric latent heat of fusion (∼215 MJ/m"3). By using at the same volume of 80 mL, i.e., the same energy storage capacity, the liquid metal is shown to outperform significantly over the organic PCM under the various heating powers up to 105.3 W/cm"2. During the heating period, the use of the liquid metal leads to a remarkable extension of the effective protection time to nearly twice longer as well as a reduction of the highest overheating temperature by up to 50 °C. The cool-down period can also be shortened significantly by taking advantage of the much higher thermal conductivity of the liquid metal. These findings suggest that liquid metals could serve as a promising PCM candidate for particular applications where the volume limit is very rigorous and the penalty in weight increment is acceptable.

Association of solvent extraction and liquid-liquid flotation processes for metal recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puget, Flavia P.; Mendonca, Luciano A. de; Massarani, Giulio

2000-01-01

From the batch solvent extraction process, in this work it has been carried out a preliminary study aiming the determination of the optimal operating conditions for zirconium recovery (10 ppm) using alamine 336 (tricaprylylamine) as extractor. The results have shown that the extraction takes place instantaneously (5s of manual agitation) and that at pH around 2.0 the extraction efficiency is up to 98-99% for an aqueous/organic phase volumetric ratio of 10. Based on these results, it is proposed to evaluate the possibility of using of a pioneering technology for metal recovery at low concentrations, using a experimental set-up that associates standard solvent extraction process with liquid-liquid flotation process. (author)

Safety aspects of LMR [liquid metal-cooled reactor] core design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahalan, J.E.

1986-01-01

Features contributing to increased safety margins in liquid metal-cooled reactor (LMR) design are identified. The technical basis is presented for the performance of a pool-type reactor system with an advanced metallic alloy fuel in unprotected accidents. Results are presented from analyses of anticipated transients without scram, including loss-of-flow (LOF), transient overpower (TOP), and loss-of-heat-sink (LOHS) accidents

Scintillation efficiency of nuclear recoil in liquid xenon

CERN Document Server

Arneodo, F; Badertscher, A; Benetti, P; Bernardini, E; Bettini, A; Borio di Tigliole, A A; Brunetti, R; Bueno, A G; Calligarich, E; Campanelli, M; Carpanese, C; Cavalli, D; Cavanna, F; Cennini, P; Centro, Sandro; Cesana, A; Cline, D; De Mitri, I; Dolfini, R; Ferrari, A; Gigli-Berzolari, A; Matthey, C; Mauri, F; Mazza, D; Mazzone, L; Meng, G; Montanari, C; Nurzia, G; Otwinowski, S; Palamara, O; Pascoli, D; Pepato, Adriano; Petrera, S; Periale, L; Piano Mortari, G; Piazzoli, A; Picchi, P; Pietropaolo, F; Rancati, T; Rappoldi, A; Raselli, G L; Rebuzzi, D; Revol, Jean Pierre Charles; Rico, J; Rossella, M; Rossi, C; Rubbia, André; Rubbia, Carlo; Sala, P; Scannicchio, D A; Sergiampietri, F; Suzuki, S; Terrani, M; Tian, W; Ventura, Sandro; Vignoli, C; Wang, H; Woo, J; Xu, Z

2000-01-01

We present the results of a test done with a Liquid Xenon (LXe) detector for 'Dark Matter' search, exposed to a neutron beam to produce nuclear recoil events simulating those which would be generated by WIMP's elastic scattering. The aim of the experiment was to measure directly the scintillation efficiency of nuclear recoil. The nuclear recoil considered in the test was in the tens of keV range. The ratio of measured visible energy over the true recoil energy was evaluated to be about 20%, in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

High pressure gas driven liquid metal MHD homopolar generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, Yasuyuki

1988-01-01

A liquid metal MHD homopolar generator is proposed to be used as a high repetition rate pulsed power supply. In the generator, the thermal energy stored in a high pressure gas (He) reservoir is rapidly converted into kinetic energy of a rotating liquid metal (NaK) cylinder which is contracted by a gas driven annular free piston. The rotational kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by making use of the homopolar generator principle. The conversion efficiency is calculated to be 47% in generating electrical energy of 20 kJ/pulse (1.7 MW peak power) at a repetition rate of 7 Hz. From the viewpoint of energy storage, the high pressure gas reservoir with a charging pressure of 15 MPa is considered to ''electrically'' store the energy at a density of 10 MJ/m 3 . (author)

Electrochemical applications of room temperature ionic liquids in nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesan, K.A.; Srinivasan, T.G.; Vasudeva Rao, P.R.

2008-01-01

Applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have invaded all branches of science. They are also receiving an upsurge, in recent years, for possible applications in various stages of nuclear fuel cycle. Ionic liquids are compounds composed entirely of ions existing in liquid state and RTILs are ionic liquids molten at temperatures lower than 373 K. RTILs are generally made up of an organic cation and an inorganic or an organic anion. Room temperature ionic liquids have several fascinating properties, which are unique to a particular combination of cation and anion. The properties such as insignificant vapor pressure, amazing ability to dissolve organic and inorganic compounds, wide electrochemical window are the specific advantages when dealing with application of RTILs for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The ionic liquids are regarded as designer or tailor-made solvents as their properties can be tuned for desired application by appropriate cation-anion combinations. An excellent review by Wilkes describes about the historical perspectives of room temperature ionic liquids, pioneers in that area, events and the products delivered till 2001. Furthermore, several comprehensive reviews have been made on room temperature ionic liquids by various authors

Production of Liquid Metal Spheres by Molding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed G. Mohammed

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This paper demonstrates a molding technique for producing spheres composed of eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn with diameters ranging from hundreds of microns to a couple millimeters. The technique starts by spreading EGaIn across an elastomeric sheet featuring cylindrical reservoirs defined by replica molding. The metal flows into these features during spreading. The spontaneous formation of a thin oxide layer on the liquid metal keeps the metal flush inside these reservoirs. Subsequent exposure to acid removes the oxide and causes the metal to bead up into a sphere with a size dictated by the volume of the reservoirs. This technique allows for the production and patterning of droplets with a wide range of volumes, from tens of nanoliters up to a few microliters. EGaIn spheres can be embedded or encased subsequently in polymer matrices using this technique. These spheres may be useful as solder bumps, electrodes, thermal contacts or components in microfluidic devices (valves, switches, pumps. The ease of parallel-processing and the ability to control the location of the droplets during their formation distinguishes this technique.

Validation of ANSYS CFX for gas and liquid metal flows with conjugate heat transfer within the European project THINS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papukchiev, A., E-mail: angel.papukchiev@grs.de; Buchholz, S.

2017-02-15

Highlights: • ANSYS CFX is validated for gas and liquid metal flows. • L-STAR and TALL-3D experiments are simulated. • Complex flow and heat transfer phenomena are modelled. • Conjugate heat transfer has to be considered in CFD analyses. - Abstract: Within the FP7 European project THINS (Thermal Hydraulics of Innovative Nuclear Systems), numerical tools for the simulation of the thermal-hydraulics of next generation rector systems were developed, applied and validated for innovative coolants. The Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH participated in THINS with activities related to the development and validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and coupled System Thermal Hydraulics (STH) – CFD codes. High quality measurements from the L-STAR and TALL-3D experiments were used to assess the numerical results. Two-equation eddy viscosity and scale resolving turbulence models were used in the validation process of ANSYS CFX for gas and liquid metal flows with conjugate heat transfer. This paper provides a brief overview on the main results achieved at GRS within the project.

Numerical issues for liquid-metal boiling transient analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowe, D.S.

1986-01-01

The large liquid-to-vapor density ratio of a boiling liquid-metal leads to a very abrupt change of the two-phase mixture density at the inception of boiling. Unfortunately, the strong dependence of mixture density on pressure leads to a key numerical issue that adversely affects the behavior of numerical solutions. The difficulties can be reduced by using techniques that acknowledge this functional behavior at the start of boiling. Some of the methods used include a spatially averaged density function, mathematical smoothing, and under relaxation. Nonequilibrium two-fluid models also seem to offer aid in obtaining reliable numerical solutions. (author)

Liquid state properties of certain noble and transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuiyan, G.M.; Rahman, A.; Khaleque, M.A.; Rashid, R.I.M.A.; Mujibur Rahman, S.M.

1998-07-01

Certain structural, thermodynamic and atomic transport properties of a number of liquid noble and transition metals are reported. The underlying theory combines together a simple form of the N-body potential and the thermodynamically self-consistent variational modified hypernetted chain (VMHNC) theory of liquid. The static structure factors calculated by using the VMHNC resemble the hard sphere (HS) values. Consequently the HS model is used to calculate the thermodynamic properties viz. specific heat, entropy, isothermal compressibility and atomic transport properties. (author)

Structural properties of low-density liquid alkali metals

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The static structure factors of liquid alkali metals have been modelled at temperatures close to their melting points and a few higher temperatures using the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method. The positions of 5000 atoms in a box, with full periodicity, were altered until the experimental diffraction data of the structure factor ...

Liquid Metal Oscillation and Arc Behaviour during Welding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yudodibroto, B.Y.B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research is to obtain insight into the oscillation behaviour of the liquid metal and the arc behaviour during GMA welding. Observations of the weld pool and the arc were undertaken by visual means using a high-speed video and by analysis of the voltage. To deal with the complex

Investigation of heat transfer in liquid-metal flows under fusion-reactor conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poddubnyi, I. I., E-mail: poddubnyyii@nikiet.ru [Joint Stock Company Dollezhal Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (JSC NIKIET) (Russian Federation); Pyatnitskaya, N. Yu.; Razuvanov, N. G.; Sviridov, V. G.; Sviridov, E. V. [Russian Academy of Science, Joint Institute of High Temperatures (Russian Federation); Leshukov, A. Yu. [Joint Stock Company Dollezhal Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (JSC NIKIET) (Russian Federation); Aleskovskiy, K. V. [National Research University Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MPEI) (Russian Federation); Obukhov, D. M. [Joint Stock Company Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

The effect discovered in studying a downward liquid-metal flow in vertical pipe and in a channel of rectangular cross section in, respectively, a transverse and a coplanar magnetic field is analyzed. In test blanket modules (TBM), which are prototypes of a blanket for a demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) and which are intended for experimental investigations at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), liquid metals are assumed to fulfil simultaneously the functions of (i) a tritium breeder, (ii) a coolant, and (iii) neutron moderator and multiplier. This approach to testing experimentally design solutions is motivated by plans to employ, in the majority of the currently developed DEMO blanket projects, liquid metals pumped through pipes and/or rectangular channels in a transvers magnetic field. At the present time, experiments that would directly simulate liquid-metal flows under conditions of ITER TBM and/or DEMO blanket operation (irradiation with thermonuclear neutrons, a cyclic temperature regime, and a magnetic-field strength of about 4 to 10 T) are not implementable for want of equipment that could reproduce simultaneously the aforementioned effects exerted by thermonuclear plasmas. This is the reason why use is made of an iterative approach to experimentally estimating the performance of design solutions for liquid-metal channels via simulating one or simultaneously two of the aforementioned factors. Therefore, the investigations reported in the present article are of considerable topical interest. The respective experiments were performed on the basis of the mercury magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) loop that is included in the structure of the MPEI—JIHT MHD experimental facility. Temperature fields were measured under conditions of two- and one-sided heating, and data on averaged-temperature fields, distributions of the wall temperature, and statistical fluctuation features were obtained. A substantial effect of counter thermo gravitational

Canonical Models of Geophysical and Astrophysical Flows: Turbulent Convection Experiments in Liquid Metals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adolfo Ribeiro

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Planets and stars are often capable of generating their own magnetic fields. This occurs through dynamo processes occurring via turbulent convective stirring of their respective molten metal-rich cores and plasma-based convection zones. Present-day numerical models of planetary and stellar dynamo action are not carried out using fluids properties that mimic the essential properties of liquid metals and plasmas (e.g., using fluids with thermal Prandtl numbers Pr < 1 and magnetic Prandtl numbers Pm ≪ 1. Metal dynamo simulations should become possible, though, within the next decade. In order then to understand the turbulent convection phenomena occurring in geophysical or astrophysical fluids and next-generation numerical models thereof, we present here canonical, end-member examples of thermally-driven convection in liquid gallium, first with no magnetic field or rotation present, then with the inclusion of a background magnetic field and then in a rotating system (without an imposed magnetic field. In doing so, we demonstrate the essential behaviors of convecting liquid metals that are necessary for building, as well as benchmarking, accurate, robust models of magnetohydrodynamic processes in Pm ≪  Pr < 1 geophysical and astrophysical systems. Our study results also show strong agreement between laboratory and numerical experiments, demonstrating that high resolution numerical simulations can be made capable of modeling the liquid metal convective turbulence needed in accurate next-generation dynamo models.

Experience on the removal of impurities from liquid metal systems by cold-trapping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bray, J. A.

1963-10-15

Experience in impurity removal by cold-trapping, which was obtained on DFR and its associated liquid metal rigs, is reviewed. The development of the present DFR cold-trapping system is outlined, and the operation of the additional pumped loops, which were required in order to control the reactor impurity levels, are described. Operation of the liquid metal rigs ancillary to the reactor project is discussed with particular reference to the control of impurity levels. (auth)

Ionic Liquid-Nanoparticle Hybrid Electrolytes and their Application in Secondary Lithium-Metal Batteries

KAUST Repository

Lu, Yingying; Das, Shyamal K.; Moganty, Surya S.; Archer, Lynden A.

2012-01-01

Ionic liquid-tethered nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes comprised of silica nanoparticles densely grafted with imidazolium-based ionic liquid chains are shown to retard lithium dendrite growth in rechargeable batteries with metallic lithium anodes

Nuclear reactor fuel sub-assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ford, J.; Bishop, J.F.W.

1981-01-01

An improved fuel sub-assembly for liquid metal cooled fast breeder nuclear reactors is described which facilitates dismantling operations for reprocessing purposes. The method of dismantling is described. (U.K.)

Conductor of high electrical current at high temperature in oxygen and liquid metal environment

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, IV, Adam Clayton; Pati, Soobhankar; Derezinski, Stephen Joseph; Lau, Garrett; Pal, Uday B.; Guan, Xiaofei; Gopalan, Srikanth

2016-01-12

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to apparatuses for and methods of conducting electrical current in an oxygen and liquid metal environment. In another aspect, the invention relates to methods for production of metals from their oxides comprising providing a cathode in electrical contact with a molten electrolyte, providing a liquid metal anode separated from the cathode and the molten electrolyte by a solid oxygen ion conducting membrane, providing a current collector at the anode, and establishing a potential between the cathode and the anode.

Approaches to measurement of thermal-hydraulic parameters in liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sackett, J.I.

1983-01-01

This lecture considers instrumentation for liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactors (LMFBR's). Included is instrumentation to measure sodium flow, pressure, temperature, acoustic noise, and sodium purity. It is divided into three major parts: (1) measurement requirements for sodium cooled reactor systems, (2) in-core and out-of-core measurements in liquid metal systems, and (3) performance measurements of water steam generators

Method and device for electromagnetic pumping by conduction of liquid metals having low electrical conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Frere, J.P.

1976-01-01