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DOE OSTI2023

Insights into Waterflooding in Hydrocarbon-Bearing Nanochannels of Varying Cross Sections from Mesoscopic Multiphase Flow Simulations

Waterflooding is one of the geotechnique used to recover fuel sources from nanoporous geological formations. The scientific understanding of the process that involves the multiphase flow of nanoconfined fluids, however, has lagged, mainly due to the complex nanopore geometries and chemical compositions. To enable benchmarked flow of nanoconfined fluids, the architected geomaterials, such as synthesized mesoporous silica with tunable pore shapes and surface chemical properties, are used for designing and conducting experiments and simulations. This work uses a modified many-body dissipative particle dynamics (mDPD) model with accurately calibrated parameters to perform parametric flow simulations for studying the influences of waterflooding driven power, pore shape, surface roughness, and surface wettability on the multiphase flow in heptane-saturated silica nanochannels. Remarkably, up to 80\% reduction in the effective permeability is found for water-driven heptane flow in a baseline 4.5 nm-wide slit channel, when compared with the Hagen–Poiseuille equation. In the 4.5 nm-wide channels with architected surface roughness, the flow rate is found either higher or lower than the baseline case, depending on the shape and size of cross-sections. High wettability of the solid surface to water is essential for achieving high recovery of heptane, regardless of surface roughness. When the solid surface is less wetting or non-wetting to water, the existence of an optimal waterflooding driven power is found to allow for the highest possible recovery. A detailed analysis on the evolution of the transient water-heptane interface in those nanochannels is presented to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that impact or dictate the multiphase flow behaviors.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Fast Advective Water Flow through Nanochannels in Clay Interlayers: Implications for Moisture Transport in Soils and Unconventional Oil/Gas Production

Water flow in nanometer or sub-nanometer hydrophilic channels bears special importance in diverse fields of science and engineering. However, the nature of such water flow remains elusive. In this work, we report our molecular-modeling results on water flow in a sub-nanometer clay interlayer between two montmorillonite layers. We show that a fast advective flow can be induced by evaporation at one end of the interlayer channel, that is, a large suction pressure created by evaporation (~818 MPa) is able to drive the fast water flow through the channel (~0.88 m/s for a 46 Å-long channel). Scaled up for the pressure gradient to a 2 μm particle, the velocity of water is estimated to be about 95 μm/s, indicating that water can quickly flow through a μm-sized clay particle within seconds. The prediction seems to be confirmed by our thermogravimetric analysis of bentonite hydration and dehydration processes, which indicates that water transport at the early stage of the dehydration is a fast advective process, followed by a slow diffusion process. The possible occurrence of a fast advective water flow in clay interlayers prompts us to reassess water transport in a broad set of natural and engineered systems such as clay swelling/shrinking, moisture transport in soils, water uptake by plants, water imbibition/release in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, and cap rock integrity of supercritical CO 2 storage.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Directional Variations in Tidal Flow Multifractality and Intermittency

We explored distinct directional variations of multifractal and intermittent characteristics of ebb and flood flow velocities at nodule point, WA, tidal energy site, and complementary inspection on the East River, NY using scaling exponents of the structure function, distribution flatness, detrending moving average (DMA) analysis, multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA), and high-order spectral moments. Our findings reveal that tidal flow presents higher long-range dependence (LRD) and intermittent levels for the ebb flow sections, whereas the flood flow sections exhibit a higher degree of multifractality and greater sensitivity to larger magnitude of turbulent fluctuations. We demonstrate that long-range dependence predominantly contributes to multifractal behavior in both ebb and flood flows, as evidenced by the significantly reduced multifractal spectrum width for temporally randomly permuted time series. Moreover, spectral kurtosis analysis uncovers a higher intermittent level across all frequency scales for ebb flow sections and reveals a distinct pattern of tidal flow intermittency differing from the monotonically increasing intermittent level observed in wall-bounded and grid turbulence. Finally, we demonstrate that DMA, MF-DFA, and high-order spectral moments provide more comprehensive insights than structure function scaling exponents and PDF flatness methods.

Cheng, Shyuan [Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champai↗

DOE OSTI2020

Time-resolved 3D imaging of two-phase fluid flow inside a steel fuel injector using synchrotron X-ray tomography

The multiphase flow inside a diesel injection nozzle is imaged using synchrotron X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Through acquisitions performed at several viewing angles and subsequent tomographic reconstruction, in-situ 3D visualization is achieved for the first time inside a steel injector at engine-like operating conditions. The morphology of the internal flow reveals strong flow separation and vapor-filled cavities (cavitation), the degree of which correlates with the nozzle's asymmetric inlet corner profile. Micron-scale surface features, which are artifacts of manufacturing, are shown to influence the morphology of the resulting liquid-gas interface. The data obtained at 0.1 ms time resolution exposes transient flow features and the flow development timescales are shown to be correlated with in-situ imaging of the fuel injector's hydraulically-actuated valve (needle). As more than 98.5% of the X-ray photon flux is attenuated within the steel injector body itself, we are posed with a unique challenge for imaging the flow within. Time-resolved imaging under these low-light conditions is achieved by exploiting both the refractive and absorptive properties of X-ray photons. The data-processing strategy converted these images with a signal-to-noise ratio of similar to 10 into a meaningful dataset for understanding internal flow and cavitation in a nozzle of diameter 200 mu m enclosed within 1-2 millimeters of steel.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2021

Generation of mean flows in rotating anisotropic turbulence: The case of solar near-surface shear layer

Results from helioseismology indicate that the radial gradient of the rotation rate in the near-surface shear layer (NSSL) of the Sun is independent of latitude and radius. Theoretical models using the mean-field approach have been successful in explaining this property of the NSSL, while global direct or large-eddy magnetoconvection models have so far been unable to reproduce this. We investigate the reason for this discrepancy by measuring the mean flows, Reynolds stress, and turbulent transport coefficients under conditions mimicking those in the solar NSSL. Simulations with as few ingredients as possible to generate mean flows were studied. These ingredients are inhomogeneity due to boundaries, anisotropic turbulence, and rotation. The parameters of the simulations were chosen such that they matched the weakly rotationally constrained NSSL. The simulations probe locally Cartesian patches of the star at a given depth and latitude. The depth of the patch was varied by changing the rotation rate such that the resulting Coriolis numbers covered the same range as in the NSSL. We measured the turbulent transport coefficient relevant for the nondiffusive (Λ-effect) and diffusive (turbulent viscosity) parts of the Reynolds stress and compared them with predictions of current mean-field theories. A negative radial gradient of the mean flow is generated only at the equator where meridional flows are absent. At other latitudes, the meridional flow is comparable to the mean flow corresponding to differential rotation. We also find that the meridional components of the Reynolds stress cannot be ignored. Additionally, we find that the turbulent viscosity is quenched by rotation by about 50% from the surface to the bottom of the NSSL. Our local simulations do not validate the explanation for the generation of the NSSL from mean-field theory where meridional flows and stresses are neglected. However, the rotational dependence of the turbulent viscosity in our simulations agrees well with theoretical predictions. Moreover, our results agree qualitatively with global convection simulations in that an NSSL can only be obtained near the equator.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Understanding Flow Characteristics in Metal Additive Manufacturing

In fluid flow, the frictional effects from interior surfaces of flow components create pressure loss across the surface. Understanding this inherent pressure loss due to friction and other phenomena is important when designing a flow system. For conventional manufacturing, friction loss has been empirically studied and is well known in the engineering community. However, newer manufacturing techniques, such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), an additive manufacturing technique, need to be understood. The inherent flow conditions resulting from the additive processes were studied. Test samples were printed with the flow path oriented in the vertical direction with different channel diameters to characterize the inherent fundamental flow properties of the process. Moody diagrams were replicated for a greater understanding of possibilities and shortfalls when implementing LPBF into design applications. Experimental flow testing revealed that greater effective sand grain roughness resulted from this process when compared to conventional machining methods. This roughness did not correlate well to the average roughness measured with a laser scanning microscope but was consistent with the average particle size of the powder metal feedstock.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

Pressure drop in a prototypical 3D magnetohydrodynamic flow across contraction of a fusion blanket manifold

Predicting 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure losses associated with liquid metal flows in complex geometry ducts is required to design breeding blankets for fusion reactors. Of such components, manifolds exhibit major pressure losses. Recent correlations [T. Rhodeset al. Magnetohydrodynamic pressure drop and flow balancing of liquid metal flow in a prototypic fusion blanket manifold. Phys. Fluids. 2018; 30: 057101.] demonstrate promise for predicting pressure drops in electrically insulated inlet manifolds. In the present work, the extend to which these correlations can be applied to outlet manifolds, which feature sudden contractions, is investigated in both viscous-electromagnetic (VE) and inertial-electromagnetic (IE) regimes for Reynolds numbers 50 < Re < 1500, Hartmann numbers 2500 < Ha < 5475, and expansion/contraction ratio 10. Numerical computations have shown that the MHD pressure drops in the eutectic lead-lithium (PbLi) flows in contractions are almost identical to those in the flows featuring expansion with slightly higher magnitudes in the contraction cases. The small discripancy in the MHD pressure drop between contractions and expansions (<8%) suggests that the earlier obtained correlations for the 3D MHD pressure drop in a duct flow with a sudden expansion can also be applied to flows with a sudden contraction.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Numerical investigation of inertial sphere impaction on a cylinder in subcritical flow

We investigated the accuracy of a Lagrangian scheme for simulating both the motion and wall impaction of neutrally buoyant inertial spheres (8.85 ≤ St ≤ 18.04) moving in the subcritical regime (Re = 10,972 and 22,366) of flows past a circular cylinder. The accuracy of the eddy-resolving simulations of the flow field was verified based on available data at nearly comparable flow conditions. The accuracy of the eddy-resolving simulations of the flow field was verified based on available data at nearly comparable flow conditions. The accuracy of the particle tracking scheme was verified with respect to corresponding experimental data in a laboratory flume. Particle dispersion en route to the circular cylinder is mostly driven by the flow disturbance from the particle injector tube. The trends in collision rates are largely explained by the rate of particle entertainment into the boundary layer around the cylinder and the inertial condition of the spheres in this proximity region—both of which can be better assessed by post-processing of the numerical outcomes. Here, the primary incentive to undertake this work was the need for validating a particle-based method for quantifying the hydraulic stressors leading to bodily damage of fish passing flows influenced by hydraulic infrastructure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2022

Modelling the Alfvén eigenmode induced fast-ion flow measured by an imaging neutral particle analyzer

An imaging neutral particle analyzer (INPA) provides energy and radially resolved measurements of the confined fast-ion population ranging from the high-field side to the edge on the midplane of the DIII-D tokamak. In recent experiments, it was used to diagnose fast-ion flow in the INPA-interrogated phase-space driven by multiple, marginally unstable Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs). Here, the key features of this measured fast-ion flow are: (I) a fast-ion flow from q min and the injection energy (81 keV) towards lower energies and plasma periphery.(II) A flow from the same location towards higher energies and the plasma core, (III) a phase-space 'hole' at the injected energy and plasma core and (IV) a pile-up at the plasma core at lower energies (~60 keV). Ad hoc energetic particle diffusivity modelling of TRANSP significantly deviates from the observation. Comparably, a reduced modelling, i.e. a combination of NOVA-K and ASCOT5 code with the measured mode structure and amplitude, generally reproduce some key features of the observed phase-space flow, but largely failed to interpret fast ion depletion near the plasma axis. At last, self-consistent, first-principle multi-phase hybrid simulations that include realistic neutral beam injection and collisions are able to reproduce most features of the time-resolved phase-space flow. During consecutive hybrid phases, an RSAE consistent with the experiment grows and saturates, redistributing the injected fast ions. The resulting synthetic INPA images are in good agreement with the measurement near the injection energy. The simulations track the fast-ion redistribution within the INPA range, confirming that the measured fast-ion flow follows streamlines defined by the intersection of phase-space surfaces of constant magnetic moment μ and constant E' = nE + ωP φ , where n and ω are the instability toroidal mode number and frequency, and E and P φ the ion energy and toroidal canonical momentum. Nonperturbative effects are required to reproduce the depletion of fast ions near the magnetic axis at the injection energy.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of the longitudinal flow-plane decorrelation using multiplane cumulants in $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au, Ru+Ru, and Zr+Zr collisions

Measurements of the variation of anisotropic flow-plane angles (𝛹 𝑛 ) with rapidity, commonly known as the flow-plane decorrelation, provide important insights into the initial conditions of the matter produced in heavy-ion collisions. Here, in this paper, using data collected by the STAR experiment, we report the first measurement of the four-plane correlator observable 𝑇 𝑛 ⁡{𝑏⁢𝑎;𝑑⁢𝑐}=⟨⟨sin⁡[𝑛⁢(𝛹$^𝑏_𝑛$ − 𝛹$^𝑎_𝑛$)]⁢sin⁡[𝑛⁢(𝛹$^𝑑_𝑛$ − 𝛹$^𝑐_𝑛$)]⟩⟩, where superscripts 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 denote sequential pseudorapidity (𝜂) regions with 𝑎 corresponding to the most backward region, 𝑏 and 𝑐 close to mid-rapidity with 𝜂 𝑏 < 0 and 𝜂 𝑐 > 0, and 𝑑 being the most forward. The measurement is performed for the elliptic and triangular flow (i.e.~𝑛 = 2 and 3) in Au+Au and isobar (Ru+Ru, Zr+Zr) collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200~GeV. The goal of calculating the correlation of the flow-plane angle variations from backward to mid-central, and from mid-central to forward regions, is to probe the systematic variation of flow angle over a wide 𝜂 range. In mid-central collisions (10−30% centrality), we find 𝑇 2 ⁡{𝑏⁢𝑎;𝑑⁢𝑐} =−0.004 ±0.001⁢(s⁢t⁢a⁢t) ±0.002⁢(s⁢y⁢s⁢t) independent of the collision system. Such a small value of 𝑇 2 favors a random-walk'' variation of the flow-plane angles, where the rapidity correlation length is smaller than the entire region under study. These measurements provide new information on the decorrelation patterns in the system and offer a quantitative estimate of possible systematic variations in anisotropic flow angles such astwist’’ between forward and backward regions. This opens new opportunities for understanding the three-dimensional structure and the time evolution of the quark-gluon plasma created in heavy-ion collisions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Evidence for the Collective Nature of Radial Flow in Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

Anisotropic flow and radial flow are two key probes of the expansion dynamics and properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). While anisotropic flow has been extensively studied, radial flow, which governs the system’s radial expansion, has received less attention. Notably, direct experimental evidence for the global and collective nature of radial flow fluctuations has been lacking. This Letter presents the first measurement of transverse momentum (𝑝 T ) dependence of radial flow fluctuations (𝑣 0 ⁡(𝑝 T )) over 0.5 < 𝑝 T < 10 GeV and demonstrates its collective nature using a two-particle correlation method in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The data reveal three key features supporting the collective nature of radial flow: long-range correlation in pseudorapidity, factorization in 𝑝 T , and centrality-independent shape in 𝑝 T . The comparison with a hydrodynamic model demonstrates the sensitivity of 𝑣 0 ⁡(𝑝 T ) to bulk viscosity, a crucial transport property of the QGP. These findings establish a new, powerful tool for probing collective dynamics and properties of the QGP.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Prediction and Validation of Flow Properties in Porous Lattice Structures

High-porosity metal foams have been extensively studied as an attractive candidate for efficient and compact heat exchanger design. With the advancements in additive manufacturing, such foams can be manufactured with controlled topology to yield highly tailorable mechanical and transport properties. In this study, a lattice Boltzmann method (LBM)-based pore-scale model is implemented to simulate the fluid flow in additively manufactured (AM) metal foams with unit cell topologies of Cube, Face Diagonal (FD)-Cube, Tetrakaidecahedron (TKD), and Octet lattices. The pressure gradient versus average velocity profiles predicted by the LBM model were validated against in-house measurements on the AM lattice samples with the same unit cell topologies. Based on the simulation results, a novel hybrid model is proposed to accurately predict the volume averaged flow properties (permeability and inertial coefficients) of the four structures. Specifically, the linear LBM (neglecting inertial forces) is first implemented to obtain the intrinsic permeability, and then the standard LBM is applied to obtain the inertial coefficient. Convenient correlations for those flow properties as a function of porosity and fiber diameter are constructed. The effects of the AM print qualities on the flow properties are also discussed. The advantages of the hybrid model compared to the polynomial fitting approach for determining flow properties are discussed and compared quantitatively. The hybrid model and presented results are valuable for flow and thermal transport evaluation when designing new metal foams for specific applications and with different materials and topologies. Finally, the presented correlations based on pore-scale simulations can also be conveniently used in volume-averaged models to predict the macroscale flow behavior in such complex structures.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Ionic Diffusion in Slurry Electrolytes for Redox Flow Batteries

Slurry electrodes have been proposed as a method to decouple the storage and power capacities of hybrid redox flow batteries by allowing the reduced metal to adhere to a flowing dispersion of electrically conductive particles rather than accumulate in the flow cell. In this work, the ionic mass transport through these slurry electrolytes is investigated via voltammetry at a rotating disc electrode and in a parallel channel flow cell. A modified Levich equation, i l = 0.6 2 nFC ω 1 / 2 ν − 1 / 6 ( D + r 2 Φ ω m ) 2 / 3 , is developed to describe limiting currents to a rotating disc electrode when using a particle filled electrolyte. Mass transfer is demonstrated to be enhanced by greater particle loading so long as there are sufficient particles such that their respective flow velocity boundary layers interact. In the flow cell, faradaic current in a carbon black slurry electrolyte was observed to decrease over time. This suggests that the carbon particles adhere and accumulate on the stationary electrode, impeding mass transport by imposing diffusion path tortuosity. This accumulation is undesirable in hybrid redox flow batteries as it encourages metal deposition in the cell, limiting the scalability of the technology.

Electrochemistry↗

DOE OSTI2024

Spatially Local Surrogate Modeling of Subgrid-Scale Effects in Idealized Atmospheric Flows: A Deep Learned Approach Using High-Resolution Simulation Data

Abstract We introduce a machine learned surrogate model from high-resolution simulation data to capture the subgrid-scale effects in dry, stratified atmospheric flows. We use deep neural networks (NNs) to model the spatially local state differences between a coarse-resolution simulation and a high-resolution simulation. The setup enables the capture of both dissipative and antidissipative effects in the state differences. The NN model is able to accurately capture the state differences in offline tests outside the training regime. In online tests intended for production use, the NN-coupled coarse simulation has higher accuracy over a significant period of time compared to the coarse-resolution simulation without any correction. We provide evidence of the capability of the NN model to accurately capture high-gradient regions in the flow field. With the accumulation of the errors, the NN-coupled simulation becomes computationally unstable after approximately 90 coarse simulation time steps. Insights gained from these surrogate models further pave the way for formulating stable, complex, physics-based spatially local NN models which are driven by traditional subgrid-scale turbulence closure models. Significance Statement Flows in the atmosphere are highly chaotic and turbulent, comprising flow structures of broad scales. For effective computational modeling of atmospheric flows, the effects of the small- and large-scale structures need to be captured by the simulations. Capturing the small-scale structures requires fine-resolution simulations. Even with the current state-of-the-art supercomputers, it can be prohibitively expensive to simulate these flows when computed for the entire earth over climate time scales. Thus, it is necessary to focus on the larger-scale structures using a coarse-resolution simulation while capturing the effects of the smaller-scale structures using some parameterization (approximation) scheme and incorporating it into the coarse-resolution simulation. We use machine learning to model the effects of the small-scale structures (subgrid-scale effects) in atmospheric flows. Data from a fine-resolution simulation is used to compute the missing subgrid-scale effects in coarse-resolution simulations. We then use machine learning models to approximate these differences between the coarse- and fine-resolution simulations. We see improved accuracy for the coarse-resolution simulations when corrected using these machine learned models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

First Look West (FLoW 2.0) (Final Technical Report for Closeout)

DOE’s Cleantech UP was an annual business plan competition, operating nationally between 2015 and 2018 through eight regional nodes that included Caltech’s FLOW. Cleantech UP focused on supporting university students at all levels creating cleantech startups. FLOW operated nationally with a focus on California. In support of the DOE’s objectives FLOW developed an immersive five point program that targeted major gaps in the educational support and practical resources available to scientists and engineers starting their first cleantech companies that prevented such young innovators from becoming entrepreneurs. Specifically, the FLOW program augmented the number of participants entering the energy entrepreneurship pipeline via the Cleantech UP competition; helped the US remain competitive by increasing the viability and financing potential of these cleantech companies started by young academics; and helped build the regional, state and national infrastructure that spurs and supports entrepreneurship. Each year the FLOW featured two major judging rounds for candidates drawn from as many as 80 applicants annually, providing essential experience and feedback that helped define the direction of these young entrepreneurs. The FLOW winners competed at the DOE’s national event, and FLOW companies took the top prize twice in the total history of the DOE program which was started in 2011.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

DOE OSTI2022

NorthStar Facility Target Fab and Flow Testing - FY 21

The facility target fabrication and flow testing activity will consist of flow tests using the blower system at LANL to test the disk holder and target, both redesigned by the NorthStar prime contractor. The housing and transition system delivering helium cooling to the disc holder and target will be fabricated and tested at LANL facilities. The tests will include pressure drop versus flow measurements through the target and housing, optical flow diagnostics and fiber optic imaging of the disc stack. The pressure drop measurements will be compared to CFD simulations to verify the latter, the optical flow diagnostics will be used to determine whether modifications made to the housing and target holder allow sufficient flow through the bottom of the housing to adequately cool it and the fiber optics will be used to image the discs during operation as a proof of concept of the diagnostic, to be used at NorthStar facilities during preproduction testing. The work is a Partial Fulfillment of the Deliverable Requirement for NorthStar Facility Target Fab and Flow Testing and Production Target Testing Support by LANL

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

TEAMER: DAISY Flow-noise Testing (Abstract)

Evaluating impacts of marine energy devices is generally difficult given the dynamic environment where these devices need to be placed. The University of Washington’s (UW) DAISY (The Drifting Acoustic Instrumentation SYstem) is designed to measure radiated noise around marine energy converters operating in energetic waves and currents. In currents, a primary limitation for measurement fidelity at low frequencies (< 100 Hz) is the potential for non-propagating “flow-noise” to mask propagating sound and inflate estimates of the radiated noise from marine energy converters at frequencies that overlap with hearing sensitivities of fish and some marine mammals. While free-drifting measurements help to minimize the relative velocity that produces flow-noise, significant levels were still observed during initial DAISY tests. This motivated the development of a fabric “flow shield” around the hydrophone that disrupts both flow-noise generation mechanisms proposed by the initial tests. First, the flow shield is a source of substantial drag which keeps the hydrophone package moving with the approximate velocity of the surrounding water, compensating for differential wind or current forcing on the surface expression. By minimizing relative velocity around the hydrophone, turbulence shed by the hydrophone is also minimized. Second, the flow shield creates a largely quiescent pocket around the hydrophone, minimizing advection of free stream turbulence over the hydrophone element. Field data collected in these experiments will test effectiveness of these flow shields and provide quantitative data use and deployment.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2023

Numerical Analysis and Flow Induced Vibration Studies in Pressurized Helium Gas Cooling Channels

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is working with NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes (NMR) on their efforts to produce Mo-99 from the irradiation of Mo-100 targets. The NMR target consists of an Inconel window that allows the electron beam to penetrate and irradiate a stack of Mo-100 discs. The irradiation process generates large amounts of heat and is cooled using pressurized helium gas flowing at 400 g/s. LANL provides both numerical analysis support and experimental support. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for both 300 g/s and 400 g/s are performed on the NMR target to analyze the helium flow through the NMR system. The pressure drop, the mass flow rate through each of the disc and window channels and the force applied on the first disc are some of the quantities estimated using CFD. These results will be combined with Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) estimates of heat flux into the system from the electron beam to perform conjugate heat transfer analysis (CHT). The experiments presented in this report focus on the effect of the flow induced vibrations from helium flowing through the coolant gaps between the discs. There is concern that the flow induced vibrations may lead to excessive mass loss of the enriched Mo-100 discs, and the goal would be to mitigate the mass loss. This work presents benchtop tests of flow through a subset of the target stack which involves high speed imaging and displacement measurements used to estimate disc vibration, as well as mass loss.

42 ENGINEERING↗