Direct numerical simulations of heat transfer and convection in MHD liquid metal flow in a pipe

Ya. Listratov¹ - D. Ognerubov¹ - E. Sviridov¹ - O. Zikanov² - V. Sviridov¹

¹ Moscow Power Engineering Institute, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow, Russia
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan -- Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48128-1491, USA

Abstract
Direct numerical simulations are conducted to analyze mixed convection in a liquid metal flow in a horizontal pipe. We first consider turbulent flows without magnetic fields with attention paid to the effect of buoyancy forces on heat transfer in liquid metal flows. We then address the case of strong magnetic field imposed in the transverse direction. The results are relevant to applications to liquid metal blankets for future fusion reactors. They explain anomalous temperature fluctuations detected in earlier experiments. Figs 8, Refs 22.