Optimization of the DC magnetohydrodynamic pump for the Dual Fluid Reactor

• Published in: Annals of nuclear energy Vol. 174; p. 109142
• Main Authors: Nowak, Mateusz, Spirzewski, Michał, Czerski, Konrad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2022
• Subjects: Dual Fluid Reactor; MHD pumps; Optimization procedure; MHD pumps; Optimization procedure; Dual Fluid Reactor
• ISSN: 0306-4549; 1873-2100
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109142

•Validation of the Equivalent Circuit Method implementation is presented, which enabled estimation of geometry for the direct current magnetohydrodynamic pump for the Dual Fluid Reactor.•The calculations presented prove that the geometry of the pump channel is very important for the supplied current.•The regression models presented simplify the design process of magnetohydrodynamic pumps.
The metallic version of the Dual Fluid Reactor (DFR) utilizes a Uranium-Chromium liquid eutectic as fuel and liquid Lead as a coolant. The flow velocity of both liquids and their stable operating regime constitute the basic control parameters of the reactor and determine its operational safety. Against, high operating temperatures up to 1300 °C and severe corrosion of construction materials make magnetohydrodynamic pumps the ideal solution for DFR.
The paper focuses on modeling the DC magnetohydrodynamic pump using the analytical Equivalent Circuit Method completed by a metaheuristic approach to minimize the magnitude of the feed electric current. Additionally, the use of the multivariate regression method has enabled to estimate the MHD pump dimensions depending on the input parameters. The analysis has been performed for a large flow velocity range of both metallic liquids and leads to a simple proposal to reduce the feed electric current.