General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-24-0094
Thesis topic details
Category
Engineering science
Thesis topics
Computations and experiments on liquid metal MHD flows : application to electromagnetic pumps for the sodium industry.
Contract
Thèse
Job description
Electromagnetic (EMP) pumps move an electrically conductive liquid metal without contact. As a result, they provide an excellent seal for coolant in fast neutron or fusion reactors while minimizing waste inventory. In induction EMPs, the pumping Lorentz force results from the interaction between the exciting magnetic field and the current it induces in the conductive liquid moving at a relative velocity. This coupling is typical of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD).
When MHD flows become turbulent, the scientific challenge is to describe the turbulent boundary layers. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) makes it possible to dispense with sub-mesh models to describe the boundary layers. The trade-off is computational time, which is prohibitive for engineers who want to design a PEM in real geometry. The goal of this work is to calculate MHD quantities (velocity, current, and electric potential) using DNS in a simplified geometry that is sufficiently representative of an EMP. Calculations can be performed in parallel using models with closure laws that are more accessible to the engineer. The goal is to establish domains of validity for these closure laws, if they exist.
An MHD flow in a channel will be modeled, either laminar or slightly turbulent. The magnetic field can be imposed as uniform, non-uniform, sliding and/or oscillating. The numerical simulations will be validated on an experimental device to be completed, which will allow Galinstan flow (metal alloy which is liquid at room temperature) and ultrasonic or electric potential velocimetry.
The aim of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of turbulent MHD flows in channels, to implement into future work on modeling electromagnetic pumps for representative Reynolds and Hartmann numbers. This work opens up career prospects particularly in research centers and R&D departments in industry.
University / doctoral school
Ingénierie - Matériaux - Environnement - Energétique - Procédés - Production (IMEP2)
Université Grenoble Alpes
Thesis topic location
Site
Cadarache
Requester
Position start date
01/10/2024
Person to be contacted by the applicant
PAUMEL Kevin kevin.paumel@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DTN//LCIT
DEN/CAD/DTN/STCP/LCIT
Bâtiment 204 - Pièce 111
CEA Cadarache
13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance cedex
0442252046
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
DAVOUST Laurent laurent.davoust@hmg.inpg.fr
UGA
Grenoble INP - UMR 5266 - Science et ingénierie des matériaux et des procédés (SIMAP)
SIMAP
Science et Ingénierie des MAtériaux et Procédés
1130 rue de la Piscine - BP 75 - F-38402 ST MARTIN D HERES CEDEX
0476825206
En savoir plus
https://www.cea.fr/energies/iresne/Pages/Nos%20plateformes%20de%20recherche/Etude%20des%20m%c3%a9taux%20liquides.aspx
https://simap.grenoble-inp.fr/fr/equipes/elaboration-par-procedes-magnetiques