The development of dynamic CFD model of the magnetic semi-levitation of liquid metals

In the casting of reactive metals, such as titanium alloys, contamination can be prevented if there is no contact between the hot liquid metal and solid crucible. This can be achieved by containing the liquid metal by means of high frequency AC magnetic field. A water cooled current-carrying coil, surrounding the metal can then provide the required Lorentz forces, and at the same time the current induced in the metal can provide the heating required to melt it. This ‘attractive’ processing solution has however many problems, the most serious being that of the control and containment of the liquid metal envelope, which requires a balance of the gravity and induced inertia forces on the one side, and the containing Lorentz and surface tension forces on the other. To model this process requires a fully coupled dyna ic solution of the flow fields, magnetic field and heat transfer/melding process to account for. A simplified solution has been published previously providing quasi-static solutions only, by taking the irrotational ‘magnetic pressure’ term of the Lorentz force into account. The authors remedy this deficiency by modelling the full problem using CFD techniques. The salient features of these techniques are included in this paper, as space allows.

Liquid metal marbles

Liquid metal marbles that are droplets of liquid metal encapsulated by micro- or nanoparticles are introduced. Droplets of galinstan liquid metal are coated with insulators (including Teflon and silica) and semiconductors (including WO3, TiO2, MoO3, In2O3 and carbon nanotubes) by rolling over a powder bed and also by submerging in colloidal suspensions. It is shown that these marbles can be split and merged, can be suspended on water, and are even stable when moving under the force of gravity and impacting a flat solid surface. Furthermore, the marble coating can operate as an active electronic junction and the nanomaterial coated liquid metal marble can act as a highly sensitive electrochemical based heavy metal ion sensor. This new element thus represents a significant platform for the advancement of research into soft electronics.

Electrochemically induced actuation of liquid metal marbles

Controlled actuation of soft objects with functional surfaces in aqueous environments presents opportunities for liquid phase electronics, novel assembled super-structures and unusual mechanical properties. We show the extraordinary electrochemically induced actuation of liquid metal droplets coated with nanoparticles, so-called “liquid metal marbles”. We demonstrate that nanoparticle coatings of these marbles offer an extra dimension for affecting the bipolar electrochemically induced actuation. The nanoparticles can readily migrate along the surface of liquid metals, upon the application of electric fields, altering the capacitive behaviour and surface tension in a highly asymmetric fashion. Surprising actuation behaviours are observed illustrating that nanoparticle coatings can have a strong effect on the movement of these marbles. This significant novel phenomenon, combined with unique properties of liquid metal marbles, represents an exciting platform for enabling diverse applications that cannot be achieved using rigid metal beads.

Determination of the interdiffusion coefficients of liquid Zn and Sn using Ta/Zn-Sn/Si trilayers

In this paper we present a new method for measuring diffusion coefficients in liquid metals under convection-less conditions with solid/liquid-liquid/solid trilayer. The advantage of this kind of trilayer is that effects from gravity-induced convection and Marangoni-convection can be omitted, so that the diffusion coefficient is determined more accurately. The Ta/Zn-Sn/Si trilayer were prepared with a multi-target ion-beam sputtering deposition technique and annealed in an electric furnace under an argon atmosphere. The interdiffusion of liquid zinc and tin at 500 degrees degree C was investigated. The diffusion concentration profiles were determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The interdiffusion coefficients range from 1.0x10(-6)cm(2)/s to 2.8x10(-6)cm(2)/s, which is less than previous values measured by capillary reservoir technique under 1g-environment where various convection exist. The precise interdiffusion coefficients of liquid zinc and tin result from the removing of disturbances of various kinds of convection.

Determination of the interdiffusion coefficients of liquid Zn and Sn using Ta/Zn-Sn/Si trilayers

In this paper we present a new method for measuring diffusion coefficients in liquid metals under convection-less conditions with solid/liquid-liquid/solid trilayer. The advantage of this kind of trilayer is that effects from gravity-induced convection and Marangoni-convection can be omitted, so that the diffusion coefficient is determined more accurately. The Ta/Zn-Sn/Si trilayer were prepared with a multi-target ion-beam sputtering deposition technique and annealed in an electric furnace under an argon atmosphere. The interdiffusion of liquid zinc and tin at 500 degrees degree C was investigated. The diffusion concentration profiles were determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The interdiffusion coefficients range from 1.0x10(-6)cm(2)/s to 2.8x10(-6)cm(2)/s, which is less than previous values measured by capillary reservoir technique under 1g-environment where various convection exist. The precise interdiffusion coefficients of liquid zinc and tin result from the removing of disturbances of various kinds of convection.

Computational modelling of bubbles, droplets and particles in metals reduction and refining

The CFD modelling of metals reduction processes particularly always seems to involve the interaction of liquid metals, a gas (often air) top space, liquid droplets in the top space and injection of both solid particles and gaseous bubbles into the bath. These phases all interact and exhange mass, momentum and energy. Often it is the extent to which these multi-phase phemomena can be effectively captured within the CFD model which determines whether or not a tool of genuine use to the target industry sector can constructed. In this paper we discuss these issues in the context of two problems - one involving the injection of sparging gases into a steel continuous caster and the other based on the development of a novel process for aluminium electrolysis.

Computational modelling of bubbles, droplets and particles in metals reduction and refining

A multi-phase framework is typically required for the CFD modelling of metals reduction processes. Such processes typically involve the interaction of liquid metals, a gas (often air) top space, liquid droplets in the top space and injection of both solid particles and gaseous bubbles into the bath. The exchange of mass, momentum and energy between the phases is fundamental to these processes. Multi-phase algorithms are complex and can be unreliable in terms of either or both convergence behaviour or in the extent to which the physics is captured. In this contribution, we discuss these multi-phase flow issues and describe an example of each of the main “single phase” approaches to modelling this class of problems (i.e., Eulerian–Lagrangian and Eulerian–Eulerian). Their utility is illustrated in the context of two problems – one involving the injection of sparging gases into a steel continuous slab caster and the other based on the development of a novel process for aluminium electrolysis. In the steel caster, the coupling of the Lagrangian tracking of the gas phase with the continuum enables the simulation of the transient motion of the metal–flux interface. The model of the electrolysis process employs a novel method for the calculation of slip velocities of oxygen bubbles, resulting from the dissolution of alumina, which allows the efficiency of the process to be predicted.

Liquid lead and Lithium. A Comprehensive molecular dynamics study

Pb17Li is today a reference breeder material in diverse fusion R&D programs worldwide. One of the main issues in these programs is the problem of liquid metals breeder blanket behavior. Structural material of the blanket should meet high requirements because of extreme operating conditions. Therefore the knowledge of eutectic properties like optimal composition, physical and thermodynamic behavior or diffusion coefficients of Tritium are extremely necessary for current designs. In particular, the knowledge of the function linking the tritium concentration dissolved in liquid materials with the tritium partial pressure at a liquid/gas interface in equilibrium, CT=f(PT), is of basic importance because it directly impacts all functional properties of a blanket determining: tritium inventory, tritium permeation rate and tritium extraction efficiency. Nowadays, understanding the structure and behavior of this compound is a real goal in fusion engineering and materials science. Simulations of liquids can provide much information to the community; not only supplementing experimental data, but providing new tests of theories and ideas, making specific predictions that require experimental tests, and ultimately helping to lead to the deeper understanding and better predictive behavior.

Conceptual design of the liquid metal laboratory of the TECHNOFUSION facility

The application of liquid metal technology in fusion devices requires R&D related to many phenomena: interaction between liquid metals and structural material as corrosion, erosion and passivation techniques; magneto-hydrodynamics; free surface fluid-dynamics and any other physical aspect that will be needed for their safe reliable operation. In particular, there is a significant shortage of experimental facilities dedicated to the development of the lithium technology. In the framework of the TECHNOFUSION project, an experimental laboratory devoted to the lithium technology development is proposed, in order to shed some light in the path to IFMIF and the design of chamber's first wall and divertors. The conceptual design foresee a development in two stages, the first one consisting on a material testing loop. The second stage proposes the construction of a mock-up of the IFMIF target that will allow to assess the behaviour of a free-surface lithium target under vacuum conditions. In this paper, such conceptual design is addressed.

Liquid metal technology : a literature search /

"January 1960."

Liquid metal technology : a literature search /

August 1963.

Liquid-metal smoke abatement /

"UC-41 Health and Safety ; TID-4500 (13th Ed., Suppl.)."

Liquid metal fire control /

"Contract AT(11-1)-229."

The electrical resistivity of sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium in the liquid state /

"Contract AT(30-1)-2789."

Development of liquid metal level probes /

"Contract AT(30-1)-2789."