Development, Characterization, and Testing of a SiC-Based Material for Flow Channel Inserts in High-Temperature DCLL Blankets

This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.Flow channel inserts (FCIs) are the key elements in the high-temperature dual-coolant lead-lithium blanket, since in this concept the flowing PbLi reaches temperatures near 700 °C and FCIs should provide the necessary thermal and electrical insulations to assure a safe blanket performance. In this paper, the use of a SiC-sandwich material for FCIs consisting of a porous SiC core covered by a dense chemical vapor deposition-SiC layer is studied. A fabrication procedure for porous SiC is proposed and the resulting materials are characterized in terms of thermal and electrical conductivities (the latter before and after being subjected to ionizing radiation) and flexural strength. SiC materials with a wide range of porosities are produced; in addition, preliminary results using an alternative route based on the gel-casting technique are also presented, including the fabrication of hollow samples to be part of future lab-scale FCI prototypes. Finally, to study the corrosion resistance of the material in hot PbLi, corrosion tests under static PbLi at 700 °C and under flowing PbLi at 10 cm/s and 550 °C, with and without a 1.8-2T magnetic field, were performed to materials coated with a 200-400- μm -thick dense SiC layer, obtaining promising results.Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Magnetic Field Saturation in the Riga Dynamo Experiment

After the dynamo experiment in November 1999 had shown magnetic field self-excitation in a spiraling liquid metal flow, in a second series of experiments emphasis was placed on the magnetic field saturation regime as the next principal step in the dynamo process. The dependence of the strength of the magnetic field on the rotation rate is studied. Various features of the saturated magnetic field are outlined and possible saturation mechanisms are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure

Detection of a flow induced magnetic field eigenmode in the Riga dynamo facility

In an experiment at the Riga sodium dynamo facility, a slowly growing magnetic field eigenmode has been detected over a period of about 15 seconds. For a slightly decreased propeller rotation rate, additional measurements showed a slow decay of this mode. The measured results correspond satisfactory with numerical predictions for the growth rates and frequencies

History and results of the Riga dynamo experiments

On 11 November 1999, a self-exciting magnetic eigenfield was detected for the first time in the Riga liquid sodium dynamo experiment. We report on the long history leading to this event, and on the subsequent experimental campaigns which provided a wealth of data on the kinematic and the saturated regime of this dynamo. The present state of the theoretical understanding of both regimes is delineated, and some comparisons with other laboratory dynamo experiments are made.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure, accepted for publication in Comptes Rendus Physiqu

Potential for Blanket Related Investigations in Riga

Potential for blanket related investigations in Rig

MHD Technologies in Spallation Target Related Investigations

Neutron spallation sources working with liquid metals require many technological devices - loops, [umps, flow meters, heat exchangers, liquid metal production devices and other devices are described. Main novelties in this field are decribe

Liquid Metal Target Prototypes for EURISOL Project: Goals And Future Challenges

Poster is dedicated to the concepts of the EURISOL multi megawatt liquid metal target. One of the possible versions could be windowless target concept. Windowless target concept has the ability to withstand the extremely high loads in the terms of hydraulic shocks, thermal loads, cavitations, reliable work and adequate lifetime of the target. Meantime this concept hasn’t been studied much, which give scientific and technological challenge for the scientists and engineers to enforce it. Development of the windowless target concepts is overseen along with comparison with classical targets. Theoretical considerations and numerical simulations are viewed. Experimental developments and future concepts of low pressure crossflow targets are shown at the poster

Experimental Results on the Magnetic Field Influence on the Corrosion of EUROFER Steel in Pb17Li Flow

Since the end of 2004, periodic experimental investigations of the influence of strong magnetic fields on the corrosion of EUROFER steel-97 in Pb17Li flow have been carried out in the non-isothermal lead-lithium setup at the Institute of Physics, University of Latvia. Five experimental sessions have been performed of total duration 9,250 hours. In all experiments the EUROFER steel samples were located in the high-temperature part of the loop in a zone exposed to a uniform magnetic field (B = 1.8 T) and in a zone without the field. The experiments were carried out for different melt flow velocities Vmean = 2.5 cm/sec and 5 cm/sec, and different temperatures of the flow in the test-section Tnom = 515 C and 550 C. The minimum temperature of the flow in the loop was Tmin = 350 C. We report the results of gravimetric measurements of weight loss in the samples experiencing corrosion. Besides, pictures of the samples experiencing corrosion (after being washed in pure lithium) are enclosed. The obtained experimental results have confirmed the considerable influence of the magnetic field on the corrosion processes. The magnetic field, in general, not only intensifies the corrosion; it leads also to the formation of wave-like structures (grooves) on the Hartman surfaces, which are oriented in the melt flow direction

Cadmium Recovery from Spent Ni-Cd Batteries: A Brief Review

The significant increase in the demand for efficient electric energy storage during the past decade has promoted an increase in the production and use of Cd-containing batteries. On the one hand, the amount of toxic Cd-containing used batteries is growing, while on the other hand, Cd is on a list of critical raw materials (for Europe). Both of these factors call for the development of effective technology for Cd recovery from spent batteries. The present paper is aimed at providing a short review of the recent progress in Cd recovery from spent batteries. Statistical data from the past decade on the source of Cd, its global production, and Ni-Cd battery recycling are given in the introduction. A short overview of the pyro-and hydro-metallurgical methods of metal production is provided. Recent progress in Cd recovery by commercial methods during the past decade is reviewed

Eurofer 97 tērauda struktūra un mehāniskās īpašības pēc izturēšanas plūstošā Pb-17Li sakausējumā

Viens no svarīgiem faktoriem, kas nodrošina kodolsintēzes reaktoru darbību ir blanketa konstrukcijas tērauda izturība, jo blankets strādā apstarošanas, magnētiskā lauka un plūstošā Pb17Li sakausējuma iedarbības apstākļos. Šobrīd eksperimentālu datu par magnētisko lauku ietekmi uz tērauda EUROFER 97 koroziju plūstošā Pb17Li sakausējumā nav. Mūsu darba mērķis bija izpētīt magnētiskā lauka (B=1.7T) iedarbību uz EUROFER 97 mikrostruktūras un cietības izmaiņām pēc kontakta pie 5500C ar plūstošo (v=2.5-5cm/s) Pb-17Li eitektisko sakausējumu. Pētījumi veikti ar optiskās un rastra elektronu mikroskopijas (SEM), rentgena mikrospektrālās analīzes (EDX), cietības un mikrocietības metodēm. Parādīts, ka magnētiskajā laukā korozijas slāņu sabrukšana erozijas procesu ceļā notiek ātrāk, kas ir saistīts ar palielināto plūsmas turbulenci. Paraugu virsmas šķīdināšana bez magnētiskā lauka notiek vienmērīgi gan ferīta, gan martensīta fāzēs. Magnētiskā lauka klātbūtnē notiek martensīta fāzēs intensīvā drupināšanās un starpfāžu un graudu robežu šķīdināšanās. EDX analīze parādīja, ka magnētiskais lauks paātrina Cr izskalošanos no tērauda un citu elementu pārneses un sedimentācijas procesus. Magnētiskajā laukā korozijas procesu iedarbībā mehāniskās īpašības krasi neizmainās