Speaker
Giulio Gambetta
(Consorzio RFX)
Description
Several novel design solutions for high performance cooling systems have been developed by Consorzio RFX, permitting to experimentally simulate the challenging heat transfer conditions foreseen in the future fusion devices. The project, called Multi-design Innovative Cooling Research & Optimization (MICRO), aims on one hand to verify the present solution applied inside the MITICA experiment and on the other to perform further improvements with an acceptable pressure drop and reliable manufacturing process.
A comprehensive parametric investigation has been carried out with the goal of comparing various design options and establishing a standard approach to be applied in several devices, characterized by comparable heat loads both in terms of spatial distribution and amplitude.
The main advantages rely on the possibility to extend the fatigue life-cycle of different high thermal stress components and to investigate the possibility to employ alternative dielectric fluids instead of water. Design solutions with an intrinsic enhancement of heat transfer process would in fact allow the exploitation of less performing fluids in terms of cooling capability. However, if the unavoidable deterioration of the cooling parameters would not prevent to satisfy the thermo-structural requirements set for such kind of components, these dielectric fluids would represent a significantly advantageous option with respect to the existing technologies. This is particularly relevant in view of DEMO and future power plants characterized by higher efficiency and reliability.
This paper gives a detailed description of the Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, of the samples manufacturing and of the experimental tests that have been carried out so far.
This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 633053. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.
Co-authors
Giulio Gambetta
(Consorzio RFX, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy)
Piergiorgio Sonato
(Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 1 35131 Padova, Italy)
Piero Agostinetti
(Consorzio RFX, Corso Stati Uniti 4, 35127 Padova, Italy)
