CFD model of ITER CICC. Part VI: Heat and mass transfer between cable region and central channel

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Since year 2009, the joint of the toroidal field (TF) conductor samples tested in the SULTAN facility at PSI Villigen, CH, is solder-filled, so that the helium coolant can only flow axially inside the central channel. The latter is however plugged starting 40-45 mm downstream of the joint. The helium has then to pass from the central channel into the annular cable region over such a short length that the desired homogeneity of the flow distribution among the petals in the high field region is not guaranteed a priori, since central helix and petal wrappings act as azimuthally non-uniform obstacles to the radial flow. In the paper we first present a geometrical model for estimating this interference to the radial flow, and combine it with a CFD (ANSYS-FLUENT) model of the hydraulic effect of the plug, in order to estimate the mass flow rate imbalance among the petals at the beginning of the plug. This is then used as boundary condition by the THELMA code, to parametrically assess the results of a TCS measurement.

“…To model this effect we introduce a 2D, 2-region steady state model of the CICC, as already presented in [2]. The two coordinates represent the axial and the radial directions.…”

Section: B Cfd Model For the Plug Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: B Cfd Model For the Plug Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: B Cfd Model For the Plug Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Mass Flow Rate Imbalance Among Petals During ${\rm T}_{\rm CS}$ Measurements of ITER TF Short Samples in SULTAN

Savoldi

Bellina

Breschi

et al. 2011

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“…Cooling of these superconducting magnets is achieved by circulating supercritical helium (SHe) ( 4.5 K at 0.5 MPa) through CICC [1]. Dual channel CICC used in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) consists of twisted bundles of strands placed in the annular region separated from central channel by a spiral.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CFD Analysis of Cable-In-Conduit Conductors (CICC) for Fusion Grade Magnets

Dondapati

Rao

2012

In the present work, dual channel Cable-in-Conduit Conductor (CICC) is considered for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to understand the complex behavior of flow. A two dimensional (2D) axisymmetric computational model mimicking the CICC is generated and meshed in GAMBIT 2.0. The meshed model is exported to FLUENT 6.3, a commercial CFD code, for further analysis. Annular bundle channel of CICC is assumed to be porous medium with porosity of 0.37 and the central channel is assumed as clear region. The effects of variations in mass flow rate (6 g/s to 10 g/s) of Supercritical helium (SHe), which is used as coolant, through CICC on the pressure gradients and velocity gradients are studied. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) model is considered for the analysis with standard k-epsilon turbulence, which is relevant to the separated flow models. Axial and Radial pressure gradients are calculated along the CICC axis and along the centre line of bundle channel. Friction factor is calculated using the shear stresses obtained from CFD analysis.Index Terms-Cable-in-conduit conductor, computational fluid dynamics, pressure drop.

“…The idea of using CFD models for the local description of thermal-hydraulics inside ITER cable-in-conduit conductors (CICC) was previously introduced: such models were developed and validated for different applications [6]- [11] within the framework of the commercial FLUENT code. However, the features of finite-thickness helical wrappings and finite-twist pitch petals are being included here for the first time in a CFD model for the CICC, to the best of our knowledge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of the Helium Inlet Options for the ITER Central Solenoid

Zanino

Martovetsky

Pasquali³

et al. 2012

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A new 3D CFD model has been developed and applied to the hydraulic analysis of three different inlet options for the ITER Central Solenoid. From the point of view of flow repartition among the petals, it appears that shorter, more compact options have even a marginal advantage over a long slit inlet; their hydraulic impedance is larger, but always within the allowable. No overheating associated to low value of the Nb3Sn conductor is predicted for either inlet option.