3D imaging and heat transfer simulation of the tritium breeding ceramic pebbles based on X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT)

Abstract Pebbles made of lithium-containing ceramics with a few millimeters in diameter have been regarded as the main candidates for the tritium breeding materials. In this work, X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) technique has been employed to observe the microstructure of tritium breeding pebbles. The 3D pore network of the pebbles was presented and compared with normal 2D images. Based on the CT results, simulations of the heat transfer in one single pebble have been performed employing lattice Boltzmann method and showed that the gas atmospheres and microstructure have apparent influences on the thermal conductivities of pebbles.