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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Comparison of Artificial Compressibility Methods for Coupled Laminar Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer

Artificial compressibility (AC) methods for incompressible flows perturb the mass continuity equation by the time derivative of the pressure field to achieve direct coupling between pressure and velocity without the need for a projection method. Several variations of the original AC method have been proposed (e.g., the entropically damped artificial compressibility [EDAC] method) that can, in some scenarios, improve on the original model. In this paper, we methodically compare the results of the original AC model and the EDAC model for both steady-state and transient problems with coupling between the momentum and energy equations. We demonstrate that the EDAC model and the AC model yield similar numerical results, and the EDAC model is 10%-20% faster than the AC model for a given problem.

Oz, Furkan [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000265831724)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Physics-constrained deep learning of nonlinear normal modes of spatiotemporal fluid flow dynamics

In this study, we present a physics-constrained deep learning method to discover and visualize from data the invariant nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) which contain the spatiotemporal dynamics of the fluid flow potentially containing strong nonlinearity. Specifically, we develop a NNM-physics-constrained convolutional autoencoder (NNM-CNN-AE) integrated with a multi-temporal-step dynamics prediction block to learn the nonlinear modal transformation, the NNMs containing the spatiotemporal dynamics of the flow, and reduced-order reconstruction and long-time future-state prediction of the flow fields, simultaneously. In test cases, we apply the developed method to analyze different flow regimes past a cylinder, including laminar flows with low Reynolds number in transient and steady states (RD = 100) and high Reynolds number flow (RD = 1000), respectively. The results indicate that the identified NNMs are able to reveal the nonlinear spatiotemporal dynamics of these flows, and the NNMs-based reduced-order modeling consistently achieves better accuracy with orders of magnitudes smaller errors in construction and prediction of the nonlinear velocity and vorticity fields, compared to the linear proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method and the Koopman-constrained-CNN-AE using the same number or dimension of modes. We perform an analysis of the modal energy distribution of NNMs and find that compared to POD modes, the few fundamental NNMs capture a very high level of total energy of the flow, which is advantageous for reduced-order modeling and representation of the complex flows. Finally, we discuss the potentials and limitations of the presented method.

Mechanics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Inertia-induced mixing and reaction maximization in laminar porous media flows

Solute transport and biogeochemical reactions in porous and fractured media flows are controlled by mixing, as are subsurface engineering operations such as contaminant remediation, geothermal energy production, and carbon sequestration. Porous media flows are generally regarded as slow, so the effects of fluid inertia on mixing and reaction are typically ignored. Here, we demonstrate through microfluidic experiments and numerical simulations of mixing-induced reaction that inertial recirculating flows readily emerge in laminar porous media flows and dramatically alter mixing and reaction dynamics. An optimal Reynolds number that maximizes the reaction rate is observed for individual pore throats of different sizes. This reaction maximization is attributed to the effects of recirculation flows on reactant availability, mixing, and reaction completion, which depend on the topology of recirculation relative to the boundary of the reactants or mixing interface. Recirculation enhances mixing and reactant availability, but a further increase in flow velocity reduces the residence time in recirculation, leading to a decrease in reaction rate. The reaction maximization is also confirmed in a flow channel with grain inclusions and randomized porous media. Interestingly, the domain-wide reaction rate shows a dramatic increase with increasing Re in the randomized porous media case. This is because fluid inertia induces complex three-dimensional flows in randomized porous media, which significantly increases transverse spreading and mixing. This study shows how inertial flows control reaction dynamics at the pore scale and beyond, thus having major implications for a wide range of environmental systems.

Chen, Michael A. (ORCID:0000000294614710)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Onset of instabilities in rotating flows by direct numerical simulation

A rotating disk is the canonical experiment for measuring surface reaction rates in geochemical and electrochemical systems. Using the similarity solution for laminar flow around an infinite disk, the mass transfer coefficient can be simply related to the intrinsic reaction rate at the surface. However, measurements of mass transfer rates use a finite-size disk within a larger container of solution; here the flow is no longer strictly laminar, but there must always be some recirculation. Our interest was initially in the assumption of a uniform radial concentration field, how this breaks down near the perimeter of the disk, and what effect that might have on the measured mass transfer rates. However, our numerical simulations suggest that the flow around a finite-size disk becomes time dependent at Reynolds number ($\textit{Re}$) below 1000, which is much smaller than the typical values in mass-transfer measurements ($\textit{Re}$~10 4 ). In this work, we observe the formation of coherent structures in the flow, which suggest a non-uniform mass transfer at the disk surface. The rotating-disk flow follows a similar sequence of instabilities to the Taylor–Couette flow: a centrifugal instability leading an axisymmetric, time-invariant flow, followed by a Hopf bifurcation to a time-periodic flow. To minimise the possibility that our results are a numerical artefact, we have also simulated the instability in the stationary boundary layer of a rotor–stator flow, comparing with self-similar solutions at low $\textit{Re}$ and with spectral methods near the critical Reynolds number.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

A physics-based model for frost buildup under turbulent flow using direct numerical simulations

We present a new model for frost buildup under turbulent (and laminar) flow using direct numerical simulations. The physical model consists of two layers, the air and the frost. The air layer is fully resolved and consists of solving for the velocity, temperature, and vapor mass fraction fields. The frost layer thickness is resolved using conservation of mass and energy. Both phases are dynamically coupled using the immersed boundary method. Three-dimensional simulations are conducted in an open-channel configuration. A number of challenges need to be overcome to make these simulations feasible. First, to enforce far-field conditions of zero gradient and prescribed mean temperature and humidity, a source term is added to the energy and transport equations in the flow solver. Second, the mean frost thickness is subtracted after each time step to ensure a constant mean flow thickness and level of turbulence in the numerical domain. Third, a slow-time acceleration approach, which accelerates the frost buildup by a predetermined factor, is employed to bridge the gap between the fast turbulent and slow frost buildup time scales. Finally, a frost densification scheme is used to overcome the difficulties of vertically varying frost properties. The model is validated by comparing the frost thickness and frost thickness buildup rate over a period of one hour from a cooled flat plate experiment. As a result, both quantities compare favorably with experiments.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

Numerical simulation of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet with coaxial shielding gas

A two-dimensional ( r, z ) numerical simulation of the discharge characteristics of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), with coaxial shielding gas, was performed. The helium working gas flowed in a central capillary tube, engulfing a needle electrode powered by 13.7 MHz radio frequency sinusoidal voltage. The N 2 shielding gas flowed in the annular space of a coaxial tube. These gases emerged, in laminar flow, in a 78%N 2 -21%O 2 -1%Ar dry air ambient. The characteristics of the APPJ with shielding gas were compared to those of the APPJ without shielding gas. The nitrogen shielding gas hindered the diffusion of oxygen and argon from the ambient air into the helium jet. With the shielding gas present, more nitrogen penetrated into the helium core, causing a shorter plasma ‘plume’. The flow rates of the working and shielding gas, critically affected the gas temperature, and in turn the discharge characteristics. For a He flow of 2 standard liters per minute (slm), switching on the nitrogen shielding gas flow (at 4.5 slm) reduced the on-axis O 2 and Ar mole fractions from 3.9 × 10 - 4 to 6.8 × 10 - 5 and from 1.9 × 10 - 5 to 3.3 × 10 - 6 , respectively, at an axial distance of 3 mm downstream of the nozzle. The radial profiles of the mole fractions of the ambient gases were monotonically and strongly decreasing towards the system axis, for short axial distances from the nozzle (~1 mm), but became progressively flatter at longer distances from the nozzle (3 mm and 5 mm). Simulation predictions captured the salient features of experimental data of ambient species mole fractions in the plasma jet, and the 706 nm optical emission intensity profiles of the He 3 3 S excited state.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Emergence of Unstable Focused Flow Induced by Variable‐Density Flows in Vertical Fractures

Abstract Fluids with different densities often coexist in subsurface fractures and lead to variable‐density flows that control subsurface processes such as seawater intrusion, contaminant transport, and geologic carbon sequestration. In nature, fractures have dip angles relative to gravity, and density effects are maximized in vertical fractures. However, most studies on flow and transport through fractures are often limited to horizontal fractures. Here, we study the mixing and transport of variable‐density fluids in vertical fractures by combining three‐dimensional (3D) pore‐scale numerical simulations and visual laboratory experiments. Two miscible fluids with different densities are injected through two inlets at the bottom of a fracture and exit from an outlet at the top of the fracture. Laboratory experiments show the emergence of an unstable focused flow path, which we term a “runlet.” We successfully reproduce the unstable runlet using 3D numerical simulations and elucidate the underlying mechanisms triggering the runlet. Dimensionless number analysis shows that the runlet instability arises due to the Rayleigh‐Taylor instability (RTI), and flow topology analysis is applied to identify 3D vortices that are caused by the RTI. Even under laminar flow regimes, fluid inertia is shown to control the runlet instability by affecting the size and movement of vortices. Finally, we confirm the emergence of a runlet in rough‐walled fractures. Since a runlet dramatically affects fluid distribution, residence time, and mixing, the findings in this study have direct implications for the management of groundwater resources and subsurface applications.

Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimization of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for liquid sodium analysis

Next-generation nuclear power reactors based on liquid sodium coolant are in development to improve efficiency and safety. Fast breeder reactors could potentially achieve considerably higher fuel burn-up while producing less nuclear waste compared with current commercial technology. Monitoring of impurities in these types of reactors is important in order to prevent blockage of the cooling system or hazardous reactions due to the high reactivity of sodium with water. In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is performed on a liquid sodium sample using a custom-built immersion probe system. The probe provides direct line of sight to the sample vessel in argon atmosphere for laser delivery and signal collection. Signatures of sodium, and impurities such as potassium and oxygen have been obtained. The probe height and immersion have a strong influence on the signal level and stability. Argon flow rates of 2 to 5 liters per minute produce no substantial change in signal, suggesting a steady laminar flowing regime. A high signal-to-noise ratio for impurity elements confirms the suitability of this technique for reliable impurity detection and monitoring in the reactor environment.

Gardette, V. [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, M↗
DOE OSTI2025

Uniting Surface Properties With Hydrodynamic Roughness in Shallow Overland Flow Models

Describing flow resistance from the properties of an underlying surface is a challenge in surface hydrology. Runoff models must specify a resistance formulation or “roughness scheme”—describing the functional relationship between flow resistance and flow depth/velocity—and its parameters. Uncertainty in runoff predictions derives from both the selected roughness scheme (e.g., Darcy Weisbach, Manning's, or laminar flow equations), and its parameterization with a roughness coefficient (e.g., Manning's n). Both choices are informed by model calibration to data, usually discharge, and, if available, velocity. In this study, a Saint Venant Equation-based runoff model is calibrated to discharge and velocity data from 112 rainfall simulator experiments. The results are used to identify the optimal roughness scheme among four widely-used options for each experiment, and to explore whether surface properties can be used to select the optimal roughness scheme and its coefficient. Among the tested roughness schemes, a transitional flow equation provided the best fit to the plurality of experiments. The most suitable roughness scheme for a given experiment was not related to measured surface properties. Regression models predicted the calibrated roughness coefficients with adjusted values between 0.48 and 0.54, depending on the roughness scheme used. Litter cover was the best predictor of the roughness coefficient, followed by soil cover and average canopy gap size. The results suggest that selection of an optimal roughness scheme based on surface properties alone remains difficult, but that once a scheme is selected, roughness coefficients can be estimated from surface properties.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

How equation of state selection impacts accuracy near the critical point: Forced convection supercritical CO 2 flow over a cylinder

Increasing application of supercritical fluids leads to increased use of numerical simulations to guide designs. However, the impact of Equations of State (EoS) selection on computational cost and accuracy is not well understood. Laminar flow around a heated cylinder is used as a test case. A robust matrix of 99-simulations is used to analyze the flow of carbon dioxide just above the critical point at the isobaric condition of 8 MPa and temperatures between 305 and 390 K. Four EoS were studied: Ideal Gas Law, cubic EoS’s Peng-Robinson and Soave-Redlich-Kwong, and the Span-Wagner EoS. Results were identical for isothermal cases, but for heated or cooled cases, the high-fidelity Span-Wagner EoS simulations presented drastically different wake structures. Compared to the high-fidelity SW EoS, cEoS’s underestimated Nu values by up to 38% and cEoS’s underestimated CD values by 18–42%. In conclusion, the Span-Wagner EoS required only 17% more computation time then the cubic EoS simulations, making the Span-Wagner EoS recommended for engineering design.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Aerosol Particle Deposition on a Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly Spacer Grid

The flow and particle deposition patterns on surfaces in an idealized spacer grid for a 17x17 pressurized water reactor (PWR) assembly in a spent fuel canister are modeled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with laminar flow. The effects of gravitational settling, non-Stokesian flow, and particle slip are first rigorously analyzed. From the analysis, non-Stokesian effects and slip may be neglected for the particle sizes and conditions expected in a canister. For particles that do not settle out, a swirling flow pattern at the corners of a spacer grid channel directs particles to the leeward side of the flow vanes where much of the deposition occurs. Particle deposition increases with increasing particle diameter. Deposition also increases with decreasing flow velocity as this provides more time for particles to settle and deposit on the leeward side of the flow vanes. The fraction of particles that are transmitted through a spacer grid is determined as a function of inlet gas velocity and particle diameter by running the CFD calculation for each set of conditions and for each particle diameter. Curve fits of the transmission curve as a function of particle diameter for a specified spacer grid and flow velocity are applied to a lognormal particle mass density function for the inlet particles. The resulting mass density function and aerosol mass fraction that passes through the spacer grid can be determined analytically without resorting to numerical iteration. A sample calculation of the analytical solution is demonstrated for a lognormal particle mass density function.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Structural uniformity and compositional homogeneity of solid-phase alloyed rod

Solid-phase processes have emerged as an alternative to fusion-based alloying to avoid coarse microstructures, undesirable phase formation, and high energy consumption. However, achieving uniform distribution of alloying elements during friction-based processing remains challenging due to highly heterogeneous thermomechanical conditions. This work evaluates the structural uniformity and compositional homogeneity of Al–Cu–Zn alloyed rods produced by friction extrusion (FE) and establishes the role of the rotational speed to feed rate ratio (N/V) on alloying effectiveness. A systematic matrix of FE experiments was conducted at constant extrusion ratio with N/V values ranging from 3.7 to 300. Compositional uniformity was assessed along the rod length (ICP-OES), in three dimensions (X-ray computed tomography), and at the microscale (SEM–EDS), supported by a gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM)–based homogeneity metric. Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations were used to reveal material flow and thermomechanical fields. Results show that N/V = 100 produces a high-shear mixing zone that eliminates the unmixed core and enables near-full dissolution and dispersion of Cu and Zn. At lower N/V, a laminar flow region persists at the rod center, causing segregation and large composition gradients. The combined experimental–computational analysis provides mechanistic insight into the transition from fragmented particle dispersion to thermomechanically assisted metallurgical mixing. This study establishes processing–structure relationships for solid-phase alloying and provides guidance for achieving homogenized compositions comparable to wrought alloys via rapid, scalable FE processing.

Aluminum↗
DOE OSTI2020

What can the GRACE seasonal cycle tell us about lake-aquifer interactions?

Lake-aquifer interactions have been the subject of investigation and debate for decades. Traditional investigation methods include measurement of water flux across the groundwater-surface water interface, application of heat and environmental tracer methods, conducting numerical simulations of the water flow, and mass balance-based approaches. We first review, evaluate and describe the different approaches that have been applied for examining lake-aquifer interactions and propose an additional complementary approach. While the leakage from lakes and its slow movement through porous media (laminar flow) is well characterized by existing methods, modeling the rapid and turbulent flow through preferred pathways (faults/karst) remains a challenging task. To better understand the nature, and the full scale, of the lake aquifer interactions, and using Lake Nasser and the underlying Dakhla subbasin of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) in the Western Desert of Egypt (area: 0.66 x 10 6 km 2 ) as a test site, we examine, model, and correlate temporally and spatially, the variations in Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment terrestrial water storage (GRACE TWS ) solutions, with precipitation, lake levels, area, and water volume. We review current GRACE applications in hydrology and present our novel approach. Findings include: firstly, large seasonal fluctuations (peak: Nov./Dec.; trough: July/Aug.) in Lake Nasser's surface water levels (average annual fluctuations: from 3.7 m to 7.5 m), area (average area: 3622 km 2 but up to 4530 km 2 ), and volume (annual average: 13.4 km 3 , and up to 34 km 3 ) are observed throughout years 2006 to 2015. These fluctuations are accompanied by an increase in GRACE TWS (average: 50 ± 13 mm/yr, up to 77 ± 18 mm/yr) over Lake Nasser and by a progression of a front of increasing GRACE TWS values (> 50 ± 13 mm) away from the lake reaching distances of up to 700 km some 3 to 5 months following peak lake level periods. The areas witnessing the seasonal increase in GRACE TWS display a progressive increase in phase and decrease in amplitude with distance from the lake. Secondly, the negligible precipitation over the Dakhla subbasin cannot account for the observed seasonal GRACE TWS patterns and neither can the leakage signal from Lake Nasser. Thirdly, overall similarities in the distribution of GRACE TWS seasonal spatial patterns are observed. During high lake level periods (e.g., Dec. 2007; Feb. 2015) additional, and more distant, areas from Lake Nasser saw increases in GRACE TWS and vice versa during low lake level periods (e.g., July 2006; Aug. 2010). These observations are consistent with Lake Nasser being the main source of modern recharge for the Dakhla subbasin and suggest a new conceptual model for the subbasin: a slow groundwater flow through a porous matrix and a rapid groundwater flow along a network of faults, fractures, and karst topography across the matrix. We suggest that the proposed conceptual model for the interaction between Lake Nasser and the Dakhla subbasin could be applicable to aquifers of similar geologic, climatic, and hydrologic settings worldwide and that approaches similar to those advocated here could be used to investigate the validity of this suggestion.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

A User’s Guide to the PLTEMP/ANL Code

PLTEMP/ANL V4.3 is a program that obtains a steady-state flow and temperature solution for a nuclear reactor core, or for a single fuel assembly. It is based on an evolutionary sequence of codes originally used for plate temperatures, hence “PLTEMP”, developed at Argonne National Laboratory over several decades. Fueled and non-fueled regions are modeled. Each fuel assembly consists of one or more plates or tubes separated by coolant channels. The fuel plates may have one to five layers of different materials, each with heat generation. The width of a fuel plate may be divided into multiple longitudinal stripes, each with its own axial power shape. Depending upon the heat transfer method selected, the temperature solution is effectively 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional (Appendix XV). It begins with a solution across all coolant channels and fuel plates or tubes within a given fuel assembly, at the entrance to the assembly. The temperature solution is repeated for each axial node along the length of the fuel assembly. The geometry may be either slab or radial, corresponding to fuel assemblies made of a series of flat (or slightly curved) plates, or of nested tubes. A variety of thermal-hydraulic correlations are available to determine safety margins such as onset-of-nucleate boiling ratio(ONBR), departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), and onset of flow instability ratio (OFIR). Coolant properties for either light or heavy water are obtained from FORTRAN functions rather than from tables. The code is intended for thermal-hydraulic analysis of research reactor performance in the sub-cooled boiling regime. Both turbulent and laminar flow regimes can be modeled. Options to calculate both forced flow and natural circulation are available. A general search capability is available (Appendix XII) to greatly reduce the reactor analyst’s time.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

A User’s Guide to the PLTEMP/ANL Code (V.4.3)

PLTEMP/ANL V4.3 is a program that obtains a steady-state flow and temperature solution for a nuclear reactor core, or for a single fuel assembly. It is based on an evolutionary sequence of codes originally used for plate temperatures, hence “PLTEMP”, developed at Argonne National Laboratory over several decades. Fueled and non-fueled regions are modeled. Each fuel assembly consists of one or more plates or tubes separated by coolant channels. The fuel plates may have one to five layers of different materials, each with heat generation. The width of a fuel plate may be divided into multiple longitudinal stripes, each with its own axial power shape. Depending upon the heat transfer method selected, the temperature solution is effectively 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional (Appendix XV). It should be noted that for a 3-dimensional solution the axial power shape is modeled without accounting for axial heat conduction. It begins with a solution across all coolant channels and fuel plates or tubes within a given fuel assembly, at the entrance to the assembly. The temperature solution is repeated for each axial node along the length of the fuel assembly. The geometry may be either slab or radial, corresponding to fuel assemblies made of a series of flat (or slightly curved) plates, or of nested tubes. A variety of thermal-hydraulic correlations are available to determine safety margins such as onset-of-nucleate boiling ratio(ONBR), departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), and onset of flow instability ratio (OFIR). Coolant properties for either light or heavy water are obtained from FORTRAN functions rather than from tables. The code is intended for thermal-hydraulic analysis of research reactor performance in the sub-cooled boiling regime. Both turbulent and laminar flow regimes can be modeled. Options to calculate both forced flow and natural circulation are available. A general search capability is available (Appendix XII) to greatly reduce the reactor analyst’s time.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A User’s Guide to the PLTEMP/ANL Code

PLTEMP/ANL V4.4 is a program that obtains a steady-state flow and temperature solution, in geometrical extent, for a nuclear reactor core, or a single fuel assembly, including the effect of manufacturing and modelling uncertainties by the means of hot channel factors. It is based on an evolutionary sequence of codes originally used for calculating plate temperatures, hence “PLTEMP”, developed at Argonne National Laboratory over the past 30 years. Fueled and non-fueled regions are modeled. Each fuel assembly consists of one or more plates or tubes separated by coolant channels. The fuel plates may have one to five layers of different materials, each with heat generation. The width of a fuel plate may be divided into multiple longitudinal stripes, each with its own axial power shape. Depending upon the heat transfer method selected, the temperature solution is effectively 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional. The geometry may be either slab or radial, corresponding to fuel assemblies made of a series of flat (or slightly curved) plates, or of nested tubes. A variety of thermal-hydraulic correlations are available to determine safety margins such as onset of nucleate boiling ratio (ONBR), departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), and onset of flow instability ratio (OFIR). Coolant properties for either light or heavy water are obtained from FORTRAN functions rather than from tables. The code is intended for thermal-hydraulic analysis of research reactor performance in the sub-cooled boiling regime. Both turbulent and laminar flow regimes can be modeled. Options to calculate both forced flow and natural circulation are available. A general search capability for select design and safety parameters is available to greatly reduce the reactor analyst’s time.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Magnetohydrodynamics in free surface liquid metal flow relevant to plasma-facing components

Abstract While flowing Liquid Metal (LM) Plasma-Facing Components (PFCs) represent a potentially transformative technology to enable long-pulse operation with high-power exhaust for fusion reactors, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) drag in the conducting LM will reduce the flow speed. Experiments have been completed in the linear open-channel LMX-U device [Hvasta et al 2018 Nucl. Fusion 58 01602] for validation of MHD drag calculations with either insulating or conducting walls, with codes similar to those used to design flowing LM PFCs for a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility [Kessel et al 2019 Fusion Sci. Technol . 75 886]. We observe that the average channel flow speed decreased with the use of conducting walls and the strength of the applied transverse magnetic field. The MHD drag from the retarding Lorentz force resulted in an increase of the LM depth in the channel that ‘piled up’ near the inlet, but not the outlet. As reproduced by OpenFOAM and ANSYS CFX calculations, the magnitude and characteristics of the pileup in the flow direction increased with the applied traverse magnetic field by up to 120%, as compared to the case without an applied magnetic field, corresponding to an average velocity reduction of ∼45%. Particle tracking measurements confirmed a predicted shear in the flow speed, with the surface velocity increasing by 300%, despite the 45% drop in the average bulk speed. The MHD effect makes the bulk flow laminarized but keeps surface waves aligned along the magnetic field lines due to the anisotropy of MHD drag. The 3D fringe field and high surface velocity generate ripples around the outlet region. It was also confirmed that the MHD drag strongly depends on the conductivity of the channel walls, magnetic field, and volumetric flow rate, in agreement with the simulations and a developed analytical model. These validated models are now available to begin to determine the conditions under which the ideal LM channel design of a constant flow speed and fluid depth could be attained.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗