Two-phase flow studies of mercury-nitrogen in simulated liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic energy convertors of gravity type

P. Satyamurthy¹ - T. K. Thiyagarajan¹ - N. S. Dixit¹ - N. Venkatramani¹ - A. Mushtaq²

¹ Laser and Plasma Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Bombay 400095, India
² Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India

Abstract
Liquid Metal Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Converters (LMMHD EC) of gravity type have been recently proposed for variety of heat sources for electrical power generation. In these systems, vertical two-phase flows consisting of steam and high density liquid metals like lead, lead alloys take place in the riser pipe. The design of optimum LMMHD EC and for scaling up of the system requires accurate modeling of the two-phase flow. The important parameter which governs the two-phase flow is the void fraction. Experiments have been conducted in a nitrogen-mercury simulation LMMHD EC facility. Time averaged void fraction was measured using gamma ray attenuation method with 60Co radioactive source of activity 2775 MBq. Measured void fraction and pressure profiles were compared with values based on two-phase bubble flow model and other well known empirical relations. Better models are required to be developed for accurate prediction of void fraction for all ranges of liquid metal-nitrogen two-phase flows. Table 1, Figs 6, Refs 14.