Numerical Investigation of the Effect of the Wall Properties on Downward Mercury Flow and Temperature Fluctuations in a Vertical Heated Pipe under a Transverse Magnetic Field

The work is motivated by the need to study the effect of abnormal quasi-periodic high-amplitude temperature fluctuations in a liquid metal flow in pipes and channels, which arise under conditions close to those specific for liquid metal (PbLi alloy, etc.) hydrodynamics and heat transfer in blankets of tokamak fusion reactors. Such temperature fluctuations in the cooling channels of the fusion reactor blanket pose a threat to the strength of the channel walls. The influence of the physical properties of the channel walls and potential fouling of their inner surface on the generation of these fluctuations has not been studied as yet. Therefore, this problem has been numerically investigated for a MHD mixed convection of a liquid metal in a round tube for a downward flow of mercury with the one-side heating condition under a strong transverse magnetic field using conjugate problem statement by the LES (Large Eddy Simulation) method. Numerical simulation was performed for four cases: (i) the effect of thermophysical and electrophysical properties of the steel pipe wall is neglected, (ii) the effect of wall material properties is included, (iii) the effect of the moderate contact electrical resistance caused by a layer of fouling deposits or oxides on the inner surface of the pipe is accounted for, and (iv) the resistance of the thin fouling layer is assumed to be very high. The predictions for the cases (i) and (iv) are in good agreement with the experimental data and the results of the direct numerical simulation. They demonstrate the existence of quasi-periodic abnormal high-amplitude temperature fluctuations in the fluid with a frequency of approximately 0.14 Hz. With a relatively low electrical resistance of the fouling film (case iii), the frequency of high-amplitude temperature fluctuations was considerably lower (0.07 Hz). In the absence of electrical contact resistance on the inner surface of the steel pipe (case ii), high-amplitude velocity and temperature fluctuations were not revealed in the fluid. Thus, it was shown for the first time that the physical properties of a wall and the electrical resistance between the fluid and the electrically conducting wall were responsible for the development of abnormal tem-perature fluctuations in the liquid and the wall and control of their amplitude and frequency. The causes of the revealed effects are discussed.

Automated summary

This study numerically simulates and experimentally verifies the presence of abnormal quasi-periodic high-amplitude temperature fluctuations in a liquid metal flow. These fluctuations are influenced by the physical properties of the channel walls and the electrical resistance between the fluid and the wall.