HZDR Lecture: Prof. Dr. Robert Stieglitz

Date

Mar 7, 2011

Time

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Robert Stieglitz - KIT

Language

de

Main Topic

Physik

Other Topics

Physik

Host

Prof. Weiß - FWS

Description

Liquid metal technologies The knowledge on liquid metal technology was a major step in human mankind development. In the past decades the research on liquid metal flows concentrated on a few fields like sodium cooled fast reactors, metal raffination etc., however, the current demand for more energy efficient processes fosters advanced liquid metal coolant technologies. Liquid metals exhibit thermo-physical properties differing from conventional coolant liquids. Aside from their excellent thermal and electric conductiv-ity, they are opaque, mostly have a small kinematic viscosity and show a high surface tension. All these properties demand not only liquid metal adapted measurement technologies to acquire flow and temperature distribution but also extended physical models to describe the flow in an adequate manner in terms of a numerical simulation. Within the introduction a few liquid metal applications are illustrated aimed to formulate the specific challenges occurring when turbulent liquid metal flows appear. Based on selected examples some techniques to acquire turbulent flow quantities are shown and critically discussed with respect to their capabilities. Since the turbulent heat transfer at highly heat loaded components represents one of most technically relevant challenges it will be treated in more detail. By comparing experimental and numerical results deficits of experimental set-ups as well as currently existing models are addressed. In a next section some examples for the use of liquid metal free surface flows will be presented. Con-sequences of the specific liquid metal properties on technical components such as tubing, gaskets, pumps and the material selection for them will be briefly addressed based on practical examples. Fi-nally recent trends in the measurement technology as well as the modelling are illuminated.

Last modified: May 27, 2011, 4:37:41 PM