Advanced Computtation Environment for Incompressible Flows with Free Surface, MHD and Turbulence Effects in Complex Geometries

60419 This project will develop a three dimensional, adaptive, unstructured grid treatment of free surface magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of conducting liquids, as envisioned in future fusion systems. In particular, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tools, capable of predicting the flow behavior of conducting liquids in complex geometry with free surfaces in the presence of an intense heat flux and a magnetic field, will be developed and validated. Applications to fusion liquid wall power extraction systems and commercial metallurgical processes will be the focus of the investigation. In Phase I, two flagship codes based upon leading numerical schemes for the finite volume solution to free surface problems with MHD were developed in two dimensions with preliminary three dimensional (3-D) extensions. Favorable physical validations, extensions to high density ratios, free surface-MHD interactions, and the use of adaptive gridding were demonstrated and critical numerical issues were identified. In Phase II, accurate numerical models for incompressible free surface flows, with turbulence, scalar transport and MHD in 3-D, will be added and applied to issues in fusion systems. Grid adaption, implicit schemes, modem boundary condition procedures, and coupled fluid-solid MHD solvers will be integrated with friendly user interfaces and CAD modeling computer programs. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The primary beneficiary of this research will be the fusion community, where the need for such a tool for liquid wall reactor concepts has been identified. Metallurgical companies also should have a strong need for such a tool (for MHD enhanced steel and aluminum casting), due to a lack of an integrated MHD capability in commercial fluid codes. Additional applications in propulsion, crystal growth, inkjet printer technologies, and atmospheric physics have been identified