Magneto-convective flows in electrically and thermally coupled channels

A liquid metal blanket concept using a PbLi alloy as breeder material and helium as coolant is one of the proposed designs that will be tested in the experimental fusion reactor ITER. In order to finalize the design of the helium cooled lead lithium (HCLL) blanket, studies are still required to fully understand the behavior of the electrically conducting breeder under the influence of the intense magnetic field that confines the fusion plasma. Liquid metal HCLL blanket flows are expected to be mainly driven by buoyancy forces caused by non-isothermal operating conditions due to neutron volumetric heating, since only a weak forced flow is required for tritium extraction. The present numerical study aims at clarifying the influence of electromagnetic and thermal coupling of neighboring fluid domains on magneto-convective flows in geometries relevant for the HCLL blanket concept. Velocity and temperature distributions are discussed for various volumetric heat sources.