Minisymposium Presentation

In a fusion reactor sub-system called blanket, a liquid breeder (liquid metal LM or molten salt MS) flows for tritium breeding and conversion of plasma energy into heat. LM flows in the fusion blanket are strongly affected by the plasma-confining magnetic field and volumetric heating that drastically change the flow behavior and modify associated transport processes. Predicting magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows, corrosion, and tritium transport is critically important to any LM blanket design. The computational magnetohydrodynamic (CMHD) tools have been successfully used by fusion researchers to assist in the blanket design and analysis since the first computations in 1970’s. However, for decades, the applicability of these tools was limited to relatively simple geometries, low flow velocities and low to moderate magnetic fields. This paper overviews recent progress and future directions in the CMHD area for fusion with the main focus on the existing and new CMHD codes, numerical methods, and applications. Two examples presented in the paper, high magnetic field lead-lithium blanket, and integrated computer modelling for the Dual Coolant Lead Lithium (DCLL) blanket, evidence that the CMHD codes are reaching the stage where they can be used as a real design tool.