Testing of a high temperature radiatively cooled Li/Ta heat pipe in Magnum-PSI

Magnum-PSI Team; T.W. Morgan

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.12.096

Testing of a high temperature radiatively cooled Li/Ta heat pipe in Magnum-PSI

Magnum-PSI Team
, T.W. Morgan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this paper we present results from plasma testing and thermal analysis of a lithium filled tubular heat pipe used as a replaceable plasma facing component (PFC) with no direct cooling. The tantalum envelope (19 mm diameter by 197 mm long) was heated on its side wall using a hydrogen plasma beam in the linear plasma device Magnum-PSI. A single continuous plasma pulse lasting ˜2 h was carried out with the isothermal zone of the heat pipe operating at a temperature of ˜1000 °C for the whole time with the main heat removal via thermal radiation. Target tilting was used to vary the peak surface heat flux in the range 7.5–13 MW/m². The tilting also increased the magnetic field component normal to the return flow of lithium via the sintered niobium wick to ˜0.85 T. Near infra-red thermography was used to measure the surface temperature. Heating power was increased until liquid lithium escaped through a crack in the heat pipe near the beam center. The impact of the lithium leak on the plasma was benign compared to that expected from leaks in helium or water cooled PFCs. The operating limit due to magnetohydrodynamic effects is calculated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	482-485
Number of pages	4
Journal	Fusion Engineering and Design
Volume	146
Issue number	Part A
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.12.096
Publication status	Published - Sept 2019
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors would like to thank John Rosenfeld (Aavid/Thermacore) for advice/support during procurement and testing of the heat pipe. Also, we would like to thank Leo Bühler (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) for advising us on the theory of liquid metal flow through porous media in magnetic fields. This work was part-funded by the RCUK Energy Programme under grant EP/P012450/1 . Supported by the US DOE under DE-AC04-94AL85000 . DIFFER is part of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

Keywords

Fusion energy
Heat pipes
Lithium
Plasma facing components
Refractory metals
Thermal radiation

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10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.12.096

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title = "Testing of a high temperature radiatively cooled Li/Ta heat pipe in Magnum-PSI",

abstract = "In this paper we present results from plasma testing and thermal analysis of a lithium filled tubular heat pipe used as a replaceable plasma facing component (PFC) with no direct cooling. The tantalum envelope (19 mm diameter by 197 mm long) was heated on its side wall using a hydrogen plasma beam in the linear plasma device Magnum-PSI. A single continuous plasma pulse lasting ˜2 h was carried out with the isothermal zone of the heat pipe operating at a temperature of ˜1000 °C for the whole time with the main heat removal via thermal radiation. Target tilting was used to vary the peak surface heat flux in the range 7.5–13 MW/m2. The tilting also increased the magnetic field component normal to the return flow of lithium via the sintered niobium wick to ˜0.85 T. Near infra-red thermography was used to measure the surface temperature. Heating power was increased until liquid lithium escaped through a crack in the heat pipe near the beam center. The impact of the lithium leak on the plasma was benign compared to that expected from leaks in helium or water cooled PFCs. The operating limit due to magnetohydrodynamic effects is calculated.",

keywords = "Fusion energy, Heat pipes, Lithium, Plasma facing components, Refractory metals, Thermal radiation",

author = "\{Magnum-PSI Team\} and G.F. Matthews and R.E. Nygren and T.W. Morgan and S.A. Silburn and P.R. Cooper and R. Otin and A. Tallarigo",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.12.096",

language = "English",

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AU - Nygren, R.E.

AU - Morgan, T.W.

AU - Silburn, S.A.

AU - Cooper, P.R.

AU - Otin, R.

AU - Tallarigo, A.

PY - 2019/9

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N2 - In this paper we present results from plasma testing and thermal analysis of a lithium filled tubular heat pipe used as a replaceable plasma facing component (PFC) with no direct cooling. The tantalum envelope (19 mm diameter by 197 mm long) was heated on its side wall using a hydrogen plasma beam in the linear plasma device Magnum-PSI. A single continuous plasma pulse lasting ˜2 h was carried out with the isothermal zone of the heat pipe operating at a temperature of ˜1000 °C for the whole time with the main heat removal via thermal radiation. Target tilting was used to vary the peak surface heat flux in the range 7.5–13 MW/m2. The tilting also increased the magnetic field component normal to the return flow of lithium via the sintered niobium wick to ˜0.85 T. Near infra-red thermography was used to measure the surface temperature. Heating power was increased until liquid lithium escaped through a crack in the heat pipe near the beam center. The impact of the lithium leak on the plasma was benign compared to that expected from leaks in helium or water cooled PFCs. The operating limit due to magnetohydrodynamic effects is calculated.

AB - In this paper we present results from plasma testing and thermal analysis of a lithium filled tubular heat pipe used as a replaceable plasma facing component (PFC) with no direct cooling. The tantalum envelope (19 mm diameter by 197 mm long) was heated on its side wall using a hydrogen plasma beam in the linear plasma device Magnum-PSI. A single continuous plasma pulse lasting ˜2 h was carried out with the isothermal zone of the heat pipe operating at a temperature of ˜1000 °C for the whole time with the main heat removal via thermal radiation. Target tilting was used to vary the peak surface heat flux in the range 7.5–13 MW/m2. The tilting also increased the magnetic field component normal to the return flow of lithium via the sintered niobium wick to ˜0.85 T. Near infra-red thermography was used to measure the surface temperature. Heating power was increased until liquid lithium escaped through a crack in the heat pipe near the beam center. The impact of the lithium leak on the plasma was benign compared to that expected from leaks in helium or water cooled PFCs. The operating limit due to magnetohydrodynamic effects is calculated.

KW - Fusion energy

KW - Heat pipes

KW - Lithium

KW - Plasma facing components

KW - Refractory metals

KW - Thermal radiation

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JO - Fusion Engineering and Design

JF - Fusion Engineering and Design

IS - Part A

ER -

Testing of a high temperature radiatively cooled Li/Ta heat pipe in Magnum-PSI

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