MHD effects of partition plates on thermofluid performance of Indian variant LLCB TBM for ITER

Abstract Liquid metal Lead-Lithium (PbLi) flow channels in Indian LLCB (lead lithium cooled ceramic breeder) Test Blanket Module consist of a sequence of parallel channels which are fed from a common inlet header. Thin radial-toroidal vertical plates known as partition plates at the central plane perpendicular to the applied magnetic field are primarily envisaged to enhance the mechanical strength of high aspect ratio electrically coupled parallel poloidal channels. In that case the partition plates are acting as an internal Hartmann wall and they have significant effects on velocity profile, pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics at ITER relevant applied magnetic field (B0 = 4 T). Three dimensional numerical simulation is performed in a model of full scale LLCB variant to study the effects of these partition plates on various flow field variables. Axial velocity near the thin partition wall and side wall jet structures are found to get significantly. Magneto-hydraulic pressure drop and redistribution of flow rates due to the presence of partition plates are assessed by comparing the results with no partition wall. Thermofluid simulation is carried out to obtain the temperature distribution of various structures for a given heat load profile based on neutronic estimation. The effects of buoyancy force on thermofluid flow profile in channels with high temperature gradient are also presented.