Development of a Continuous Cryogenic Pellet Extruder and Determining Its Operational Parameters for Plasma Fuelling and Plasma Density Control in Fusion Reactors
Thesis supervisor: István Attila Piros
Location of studies (in Hungarian): BME Department of Machine and Product Design Abbreviation of location of studies: GT3
Description of the research topic:
a. Preliminaries
Long-pulse fusion reactors require continuous fuelling and plasma density control, for which cryogenic pellet (hydrogen isotopes: protium, deuterium, tritium) injection is the preferred technology.
The process of pellet injection can be divided into two stages. In the first stage, the gas is cooled down to a solid state, and a hydrogen ice rod is then produced by extrusion. In the second stage, the ice is injected into the plasma in the form of pellets. Injection is possible by gas propulsion or pellet centrifuge. There are several methods for extrusion. These are generally based on the extrusion of polymers, for example, there are single-screw and twin-screw extruders. There are ongoing experiments with gas-dynamic extruders, containing no moving mechanical components, but so far only very thin ice ribbons have been produced in batch operation. Continuous operation is a fundamental requirement for the operation of long-pulse fusion devices. The injection frequency of cryogenic pellets with a diameter of a few millimetres is about 10-20 Hz.
b. Aim of research
Development, testing and determining operational parameters of a cryogenic extruder capable of producing protium and deuterium ice for long-pulse fusion devices.
c. Tasks, main items, necessary time
Literature survey related to the production of cryogenic pellets (cryogenic technology, vacuum technology, polymer technology, existing extruder solutions) (12 months)
Numerical modelling of the extrusion process, analysis and comparison of models. Investigation of applicability on fusion devices (6 months)
Design and manufacturing of a cryogenic extruder, assembly of the experimental setup (12 months)
Measurements with the experimental setup, study of the effects of different extrusion parameters, validation of the modelling (12 months)
Evaluation and publication of measurement results, preparation of dissertation (6 months)
d. Required equipment
The software required for the design and modelling, as well as the tools required for the manufacturing of the equipment and for the measurements, are provided by the Fusion Plasma Physics Department of the HUN-REN Centre for Energy Research.
e. Expected scientific results
Determination of design guidelines and operating parameters for the extrusion of cryogenic protium and deuterium pellets. Design of a test assembly capable of continuous cryogenic ice extrusion.
f. References
Steven J. Meitner et al.:
DESIGN OF A CONTINUOUS PELLET FUELING SYSTEM FOR WENDELSTEIN 7-X (2019); 2020 IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Vol. 48, No. 6)
I. V. Vinyar, A. Ya. Lukin:
SCREW EXTRUDER FOR SOLID HYDROGEN (1998); 2000 Technical Physics, (Vol. 45, No. 1)
S. J. Meitner et al.:
TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ITER PELLET INJECTION SYSTEM (2009); 23rd IEEE/NPSS Symposium on Fusion Engineering
Igor Vinyar et al.:
PELLET INJECTORS DEVELOPED AT PELIN FOR JET, TAE AND HL-2A (2011); 2011 Fusion Engineering and Design (Vol. 86, No. 9-11)
S.K. Combs et al.:
HIGH-SPEED REPETITIVE PELLET INJECTOR FOR PLASMA FUELING OF MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT FUSION DEVICES (1993); 15th IEEE/NPSS Symposium. Fusion Engineering
S. J. Meitner et al.:
TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDER AND PELLET ACCELERATOR INTEGRATION DEVELOPMENTS FOR ITER (2011); 2011 IEEE/NPSS 24th Symposium on Fusion Engineering
Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2024-10-15
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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