Two-Phase Flow In A Nuclear MHD Generator

Kevork Madooglu; Ivan Catton; Fassil Ghebremichael; Julius Goodman

doi:10.1117/12.943622

6 April 1988 Two-Phase Flow In A Nuclear MHD Generator

Kevork Madooglu, Ivan Catton, Fassil Ghebremichael, Julius Goodman

Proceedings Volume 0871, Space Structures, Power, and Power Conditioning; (1988) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.943622
Event: 1988 Los Angeles Symposium: O-E/LASE '88, 1988, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

A computer model has been developed for the simulation of nucleation, drop growth and deposition processes during the supersonic flow of a gas mixture in a convergent-divergent nozzle and a magnetogasdynamic duct. The gas mixture is assumed to be composed of a condensable trace vapor species (e.g. uranium vapor) and a non-condensable carrier gas, flowing through a network of control volumes. Within each control volume, the physical processes of homogeneous nucleation, growth of droplets, droplet and vapor deposition onto structure walls are simulated. Nucleation and drop growth modeling is based on classical nucleation theory and heat and mass transfer to droplets. Droplet deposition is assumed to be governed by gas turbulence and thermophoresis. Magnetogasdynamic flow properties, needed to determine the rates of nucleation, growth and deposition in each control volume, are provided by a quasi-one dimensional magnetogasdynamic channel flow model. Sample calculations have been carried out for He-U and Mg-U gas mixtures. It has been found that uranium deposition on walls is insignificant. Expected thickness of the uranium film is of the order which will not cause any arcking between electrodes. Due to the large concentration of nucleation centers in the fissioning plasma the number of uranium droplets is so high that the maximum size of droplets will not exceed 0.01 μm. Therefore, the flow is essentially that of a metal vapor carrying a fine uranium mist.

Citation Download Citation

Kevork Madooglu, Ivan Catton, Fassil Ghebremichael, and Julius Goodman "Two-Phase Flow In A Nuclear MHD Generator", Proc. SPIE 0871, Space Structures, Power, and Power Conditioning, (6 April 1988); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.943622

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