Characterization of Hydrogen Jet Development in an Argon Atmosphere

Abstract

A contact angle database of a molten lead–lithium eutectic alloy (PbLi) droplet on a silicon carbide (SiC) is basic information for research and development both of magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and inertia confinement fusion (ICF) blankets. PbLi coolant/breeder flows in the coolant channel made of the SiC walls will experience a flow slip at the wall, called as a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) slip flow. An ICF blanket adopts a molten PbLi film flow along the SiC first wall. The PbLi contact angle database is necessary for numerically predicting the molten PbLi film flow behaviors. The present study is attempted to measure the contact angles formed between the molten PbLi and the various SiC surfaces, e.g. a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) SiC and a nano-infiltration and transient eutectic-phase (NITE) SiC/SiC composite in an inert atmosphere in order to examine an initial PbLi wettability. As the results, the molten PbLi contact angle database is obtained, which covers the PbLi temperature from 250 to 400°C on the surface-polished and unpolished SiC, respectively.