The Inlet Flow Blockage Accidents Analysis in the Rectangular flow channel of water cooled blanket

Abstract In the water cooled blanket of fusion experimental facility there are many parallel flow channels for heat transfer. Especially in the first wall the parallel rectangular flow channels face very high heat flux. The flow channel may become narrow due to long-term impurity deposition or channel deformation. This phenomenon will influence the heat transfer performance and sometimes even cause accident. It is very difficult to detect the local variation such as mass flow rates and temperatures of all the flow channels. Hence, the numerical simulation is adopted in present paper to investigate the special physics process and provide some support for engineering design and safety analysis. A virtual inlet flow block simulation method is used for assess different blocked shares. The pressure drop is given by pressure boundary condition at inlet and outlet. The detailed flow and temperature fields can be obtained and used to discuss the influence of blocked channel and the non-blocked neighboring channels. The peak temperature in the solid domain is concerned and whether the boiling will occur in the blocked channel. The new heat power distribution pattern between sur rounding channels is also concerned. This method can be easily used in the analysis of different blocked position. This research also shows the superiority of numerical calculation in details compared with traditional system code.