Investigation of Anchor Link Magnetohydrodynamic Effects in the Toroidally Symmetric Lead-Lithium (TSLL) Blanket Concept

Yuqiao Fan; Sergey Smolentsev

doi:10.1080/15361055.2025.2498770

Investigation of Anchor Link Magnetohydrodynamic Effects in the Toroidally Symmetric Lead-Lithium (TSLL) Blanket Concept

Yuqiao Fan
, Sergey Smolentsev

Blanket and Fuel Cycle

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a slotted channel with a cylindrical anchor link, which is an imperative component of the toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket concept. Following the validation of the MHD solver implemented in COMSOL and a proposed subtraction approach to compute the anchor link pressure drop, the effects of computational domain size on the pressure drop and velocity distribution are examined. The results show that the pressure drop associated with the anchor link and the maximum flow velocity follow an asymptotic trend as the domain width increases, with wall-induced pressure drop being more dominant than that of the anchor link. The velocity distribution analysis revealed the formation of an internal boundary layer extending along the magnetic field direction, which is a unique feature of the investigated MHD flow. An estimation of the total MHD pressure drop associated with the array of anchor links under the TSLL blanket conditions suggests ~0.3 MPa, which is significantly lower than the recommended maximum allowable blanket pressure drop of 2 MPa. This work offers valuable insights into the anchor link–associated MHD phenomena and serves as a foundation for further development of the TSLL blanket concept for future fusion reactors.

Original language	English
Journal	Fusion Science and Technology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2025.2498770
State	Accepted/In press - 2025

Funding

This paper has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The U.S. government retains and the publisher, by accepting this paper for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this paper, or allow others to do so, for U.S. government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( https://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan ).

Keywords

COMSOL
Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow
anchor link pressure drop
boundary layer
toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket

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10.1080/15361055.2025.2498770

Cite this

@article{2be7f2945f0b4eec9937690b29199592,

title = "Investigation of Anchor Link Magnetohydrodynamic Effects in the Toroidally Symmetric Lead-Lithium (TSLL) Blanket Concept",

abstract = "This paper presents a comprehensive study on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a slotted channel with a cylindrical anchor link, which is an imperative component of the toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket concept. Following the validation of the MHD solver implemented in COMSOL and a proposed subtraction approach to compute the anchor link pressure drop, the effects of computational domain size on the pressure drop and velocity distribution are examined. The results show that the pressure drop associated with the anchor link and the maximum flow velocity follow an asymptotic trend as the domain width increases, with wall-induced pressure drop being more dominant than that of the anchor link. The velocity distribution analysis revealed the formation of an internal boundary layer extending along the magnetic field direction, which is a unique feature of the investigated MHD flow. An estimation of the total MHD pressure drop associated with the array of anchor links under the TSLL blanket conditions suggests \textasciitilde{}0.3 MPa, which is significantly lower than the recommended maximum allowable blanket pressure drop of 2 MPa. This work offers valuable insights into the anchor link–associated MHD phenomena and serves as a foundation for further development of the TSLL blanket concept for future fusion reactors.",

keywords = "COMSOL, Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow, anchor link pressure drop, boundary layer, toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket",

author = "Yuqiao Fan and Sergey Smolentsev",

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year = "2025",

doi = "10.1080/15361055.2025.2498770",

language = "English",

journal = "Fusion Science and Technology",

issn = "1536-1055",

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AU - Fan, Yuqiao

AU - Smolentsev, Sergey

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This paper presents a comprehensive study on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a slotted channel with a cylindrical anchor link, which is an imperative component of the toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket concept. Following the validation of the MHD solver implemented in COMSOL and a proposed subtraction approach to compute the anchor link pressure drop, the effects of computational domain size on the pressure drop and velocity distribution are examined. The results show that the pressure drop associated with the anchor link and the maximum flow velocity follow an asymptotic trend as the domain width increases, with wall-induced pressure drop being more dominant than that of the anchor link. The velocity distribution analysis revealed the formation of an internal boundary layer extending along the magnetic field direction, which is a unique feature of the investigated MHD flow. An estimation of the total MHD pressure drop associated with the array of anchor links under the TSLL blanket conditions suggests ~0.3 MPa, which is significantly lower than the recommended maximum allowable blanket pressure drop of 2 MPa. This work offers valuable insights into the anchor link–associated MHD phenomena and serves as a foundation for further development of the TSLL blanket concept for future fusion reactors.

AB - This paper presents a comprehensive study on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a slotted channel with a cylindrical anchor link, which is an imperative component of the toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket concept. Following the validation of the MHD solver implemented in COMSOL and a proposed subtraction approach to compute the anchor link pressure drop, the effects of computational domain size on the pressure drop and velocity distribution are examined. The results show that the pressure drop associated with the anchor link and the maximum flow velocity follow an asymptotic trend as the domain width increases, with wall-induced pressure drop being more dominant than that of the anchor link. The velocity distribution analysis revealed the formation of an internal boundary layer extending along the magnetic field direction, which is a unique feature of the investigated MHD flow. An estimation of the total MHD pressure drop associated with the array of anchor links under the TSLL blanket conditions suggests ~0.3 MPa, which is significantly lower than the recommended maximum allowable blanket pressure drop of 2 MPa. This work offers valuable insights into the anchor link–associated MHD phenomena and serves as a foundation for further development of the TSLL blanket concept for future fusion reactors.

KW - COMSOL

KW - Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow

KW - anchor link pressure drop

KW - boundary layer

KW - toroidally symmetric lead-lithium (TSLL) blanket

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DO - 10.1080/15361055.2025.2498770

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105005865833

SN - 1536-1055

JO - Fusion Science and Technology

JF - Fusion Science and Technology

ER -

Investigation of Anchor Link Magnetohydrodynamic Effects in the Toroidally Symmetric Lead-Lithium (TSLL) Blanket Concept

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