Experimental study of MHD flows in a prototypic inlet manifold section of the DCLL test blanket module

K. Messadek - M. Abdou

University of California, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 44-114 Engineering IV, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1697, USA

Abstract
This paper presents preliminary results on a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a prototypic distribution and collection manifold relevant to the Dual Coolant Lead Lithium (DCLL) blanket concept. A series of experiments has been carried out in order to understand the mechanisms that determine the division of flow from a single supply channel to three parallel channels stacked in the direction the magnetic field lines. First flow rate data show that for a relatively high interaction parameter (N > 90), a uniform flow distribution is achieved with less than 5 0.000000low unbalance. For lower values of N, the ratio between the outer to the central channels flow rates is found to follow a N^m type scaling law, with m=1/4 for 60 < N < 90 and m=1/3 N < 60. Tables 1, Figs 5, Refs 4.