Influence of variable heat source on magneto-convective flows in HCLL blankets

In the helium cooled lead lithium (HCLL) blanket concept convective phenomena caused by non-uniform thermal conditions due to bulk neutron volumetrie heating can occur. Buoyancy can become very important and modify the velocity distribution and related heat transfer performance of the blanket. A numerical study has been performed to investigate liquid metal flows driven by buoyant forces in a breeder unit of a HCLL blanket under the in Huente of intense uniform magnetic fields, According to the lust design review two internal cooling plates subdivide the fluid domain into three slender How regions, which are thermally and electrically coupled through common walls. First a uniform neutron heal source is considered to identify the basic convective patterns that establish in the liquid metal. Results are compared with those obtained by considering a realistic radial distribution of the power density as obtained from a neutronic analysis. The present paper summarizes the main effects of spatial gradients of a neutron thermal load on velocity and temperature distribution in magnetohydrodynamic flows in a HCLL blanket breeder unit.