Document Type

Annual Report

Publication Date

2007

First page number:

68

Last page number:

69

Abstract

Electromagnetic (EM) induction pumps are used in a number of nuclear energy related applications, such as circulation of molten lead-bismuth eutectic alloys in neutron targets, and circulation of liquid sodium metal in Gen IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFR). Because EM pumps have no moving parts which can fail, they are considerably more reliable than conventional mechanical pumps for molten metal usage, and thus EM pumps are favored over mechanical pumps even though their pumping efficiency is lower and their initial cost is higher when compared to mechanical pumps of similar flow rates.

The research objectives of this task are:

  • A literature review of topics pertinent to EM pump design. These topics include the equations governing the physical phenomena occurring in EM pumps and mathematical algorithms used in modeling these physical phenomena, different EM pump configurations, and the effects of materials properties on pump performance.
  • Development of computational models of the TC-1 loop at UNLV.
  • Evaluation of the computational models through comparison with experimental data taken on the TC-1 loop.
  • A parametric study of the TC-1 loop investigating the pumping efficiency as a function of operating conditions, materials properties, and geometric parameters.

Keywords

Accelerator-driven systems; Electromagnetic pumps; Liquid sodium

Controlled Subject

Accelerator-driven systems; Electromagnetic pumps; Temperature control

Disciplines

Energy Systems | Heat Transfer, Combustion | Mechanical Engineering | Nuclear Engineering | Oil, Gas, and Energy

File Format

pdf

File Size

162 KB

Language

English

Download


Share

COinS