• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.213-224
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• 2008

The pumping of coolant in a liquid metal fast reactor may be performed with an annular linear induction electro-magnetic (EM) pump. Linear induction pumps use a traveling magnetic field wave created by poly-phase currents, and the induced currents and their associated magnetic field generate a Lorentz force, whose effect can be the pumping of the liquid metal. The flow behaviors in the pump are very complex, including a time-varying Lorentz force and pressure pulsation, because an induction EM pump has time-varying magnetic fields and the induced convective currents that originate from the flow of the liquid metal. These phenomena lead to an instability problem in the pump arising from the changes of the generated Lorentz forces along the pump's geometry. Therefore, a magneto-hydro-dynamics (MHD) analysis is required for the design and operation of a linear induction EM pump. We have developed a time-harmonic 2-dimensional axisymmetry MHD analysis method based on the Maxwell equations. This paper describes the analysis and numerical method for obtaining solutions for some MHD parameters in an induction EM pump. Experimental test results obtained from an induction EM pump of CLIP-150 at the STC "Sintez," D.V. Efremov Institute of Electro-physical Apparatus in St. Petersburg were used to validate the method. In addition, we investigated some characteristics of a linear induction EM pump, such as the effect of the convective current and the double supply frequency (DSF) pressure pulsation. This simple model overestimated the convective eddy current generated from the sodium flow in the pump channel; however, it had a similar tendency for the measured data of the pump performance through a comparison with the experimental data. Considering its simplicity, it could be a base model for designing an EM pump and for evaluating the MHD flow in an EM pump.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.05b
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• pp.137-140
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• 2002

EM(ElectroMagnetic) pump is used for the purpose of transporting liquid sodium coolant with electrical conductivity in the LMR(Liquid Metal Reactor). In the present study, computer program for the pilot annular linear EM pump has been developed for the maximum flowrate with 200 l/min and maximum developing pressure with 3 bar. Firstly, Balance equation is induced by the equivalent circuit method which is commonly employed to analyze linear induction machines and the calculation of the hydraulic pressure drop. Then, design equation is converted to the computer program and optimum pump variables are determined by this code. The code is verified by the comparative analysis with the characteristic of the commercialized pump.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.1-3
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• 1999

EM (ElectroMagnetic) pump is used for the purpose of transporting liquid sodium coolant with electrical conductivity in the LMR(Liquid Metal Reactor). (In the present study, pilot EM pump has been designed by using of equivalent circuit method which is commonly employed to analyze linear induction machines for the test of removal of residual heat. The length and diameter of the pump have fixed values of 840 mm and 101.6 mm each by taking account of geometrical size of circulation loop for the installation of EM pump. Flowrate versus developing pressure is related from Laithwaite's standard design formula and the characteristic analyses of developing force and efficiency are carried out according to change of input frequency. From the characteristic curve, input frequency of 13 Hz is determined as the design frequency. On the other hand, The annular air gap size of 6.05 mm is selected not to bring about too much hydraulic loss. Resultantly design analysis makes pump have the electrical input of 604 VA and the hydrodynamical capacity of 1.3 bars and 40 l/min.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.13-15
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• 1998

EM(Electro Magnetic) pump is used for the purpose of transporting liquid sodium coolant with electrical conductivity in the LMR(Liquid Metal Reactor). In the present study. pilot EM pump has been designed by using of equivalent circuit method which is commonly employed to analyze linear induction machines for the test of removal of residual heat. The length and diameter of the pump have fixed values of 840 mm and 101.6 mm each by taking account of geometrical size of circulation loop for the installation of EM pump. Flowrate versus developing pressure is related from Laithwaite's standard design formula and the characteristic analyses of developing force and efficiency are carried out according to change of input frequency. From the characteristic curve, input frequency of 13 Hz is determined as the design frequency. On the other hand, The annular air gap size of 6.05 mm is selected not to bring about too much hydraulic loss. Resultantly design analysis makes pump have the electrical input of 604 VA and the hydrodynamical capacity of 1.3 bars and 40 l/min.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.434-437
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• 1999

An EM pump is used for the purpose of transporting the electrically conducting liquid sodium of the high temperature that is used as a coolant in the liquid metal reactor. In the present study, the pilot pump has been designed and manufactured for the high temperature of $600^{\circ}C$ by the equivalent circuit materials and the consideration of the materials and functions. The length and diameter of the pump are given as 84 cm and 10 cm each due to the fixed geometry of the circulation system to be installed. The characteristic of the developing pressure and efficiency is found out by using Laithewaite\`s standard design formula. It is shown that the developing pressure and efficiency are maximized at the frequency of 15 Hz from the curve. The annular channel gap of 3.95 mm is selected in the range of the reasonable hydraulic frictional loss. The components of the pump consist of the material for the high temperature. And then, the pump is manufactured to have the nominal flowrate of 40 1/min and developing Pressure of 1.3 bar.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.906-908
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• 2003

A Linear induction electromagnetic(EM) pump of liquid metal fast breeder reactor(LMFBR) is used for the purpose that the liquid metal of high temperature is transported by EM force. This paper evaluates magnetic flux density necessary for transporting liquid metal, using analytical model of the linear induction EM pump. Using the 2-D finite element method(2-D FEM), magnetic flux density is estimated in consideration of a geometric model, electric parameter, and velocity of liquid metal. From the viewpoint of hydrodynamics, the results can be used for flow analysis of the liquid metal.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.117-117
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• 1999

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.1429-1435
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• 2021

The temperature distribution of an electromagnetic pump was analyzed with a flow rate of 1380 L/min and a pressure of 4 bar designed for the sodium thermo-hydraulic test in the Sodium Test Loop for Safety Simulation and Assessment-Phase 1 (STELLA-1). The electromagnetic pump was used for the circulation of the liquid sodium coolant in the Intermediate Heat Transport System (IHTS) of the Prototype Gen-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (PGSFR) with an electric power of 150 MWe. The temperature distribution of the components of the electromagnetic pump was numerically analyzed to prevent functional degradation in the high temperature environment during pump operation. The heat transfer was numerically calculated using ANSYS Fluent for prediction of the temperature distribution in the excited coils, the electromagnet core, and the liquid sodium flow channel of the electromagnetic pump. The temperature distribution of operating electromagnetic pump was compared with cooling of natural and forced air circulation. The temperature in the coil, the core and the flow gap in the two conditions, natural circulation and forced circulation, were compared. The electromagnetic pump with cooling of forced circulation had better efficiency than natural circulation even considering consumption of the input power for the air blower. Accordingly, this study judged that forced cooling is good for both maintenance and efficiency of the electromagnetic pump.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05b
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• pp.233-240
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• 1996

Analyses of the viscous and end effects on electromagnetic (EM) pumps of annular linear induction type for the sodium coolant circulation in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors have been carried out based on the MHD laminar flow analysis and the electromagnetic field theory. A one-dimensional MHD analysis for the liquid metal flowing through an annular channel has been performed on the basis of a simplified model of equivalent current sheets instead of three-phase currents in the discrete primary windings. The calculations show that the developed pressure difference resulted from electromagnetic and viscous forces in the liquid metal is expressed in terms of the slip, and that the viscous loss effects are negligible compared with electromagnetic driving forces except in the low-slip region where the pumps operate with very high flow velocities comparable with the synchronous velocity of the electromagnetic fields, which is not applicable to the practical EM pumps. A two-dimensional electromagnetic field analysis based on an equivalent current sheet model has found the vector potentials in closed form by means of the Fourier transform method. The resultant magnetic fields and driving forces exerted on the liquid metal reveal that the end effects due to finiteness of the pump length are formidable. In addition, a two-dimensional numerical analysis for vector potentials has been performed by the SOR iterative method on a realistic EM pump model with discretely-distributed currents in the primary windings. The numerical computations for the distributions of magnetic fields and developed pressure differences along the pump axial length also show considerable end effects at both inlet and outlet ends, especially at high flow velocities. Calculations of each magnetic force contribution indicate that the end effects are originated from the magnetic force caused by the induced current ( u x B ) generated by the liquid metal movement across the magnetic field rather than the one (E) produced by externally applied magnetic fields by three-phase winding currents. It is concluded that since the influences of the end effects in addition to viscous losses are extensive particularly in high-velocity operations of the EM pumps, it is necessary to find ways to suppress them, such as proper selection of the pump parameters and compensation of the end effects.