Session: 30-02 Cycles

Paper Number: 154186

Numerical Optimization of an Alkali-Metal Heat Pipe for Use in sCO2 Power Generation 

The need for clean and sustainable energy in recent years has led to an increased demand for fusion reactors and supporting technology. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) power cycles are an efficient, compact, and cost-effective way to convert the large amounts of thermal energy produced by fusion reactors into usable energy.  This study aims to investigate the performance of a metal-alkali heat pipe for moving the heat flux generated in a fusion reactor into a sCO2 cycle.  Heat pipes are passive and closed system heat transfer devices that utilize the capillary forces of a wick and pressure changes across the device to move the working fluid. The heat pipe investigated would be integrated between the plasma facing components of the fusion reactor and the sCO2 heat exchanger, ultimately powering a closed Brayton cycle. Numerical analysis is performed on various performance limits including the capillary, sonic, and entrainment limits for differing wick geometries and sizes.  Additional analysis is then conducted on the thermal conductivity of various wicks geometries and sizes.  The findings are then compared and used to determine the optimal structure and geometry for maximum power transfer from a reactor into a sCO2 cycle.  The simple design of heat pipes as well as their use in high temperature applications including fusion and turbo machinery as well as other sectors such as waste heat recovery and aircraft engines makes the technology worthy of investigation.

Presenting Author: Elena Torres CATER | University of Central Florida

Presenting Author Biography: Elena Torres is an Graduate Reaseracher at the University of Central Florida at the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Reaserach (CATER). She is currently pursing a Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on thermo-fluids and is conducting research on various topics including alkali metal heat pipes for high temperature applications and supercritical CO2 power cycles.

Authors:

Elena Torres CATER | University of Central Florida
Abhilash M. Prasad University Of Central Florida
Marcel Otto University of Central Florida
Erik Fernandez University of Central Florida
Zachariah Koyn Energy Driven Technologies, LLC
Jayanta Kapat University of Central Florida