Experimental Analysis of Soaker Hose Concept for First Wall/Divertor Application

Abstract

To analyze the effectiveness of the soaker hose concept experimentally, three cases of experiments; vertical, horizontal, and inclined, were conducted. The results have clearly shown that the Lorentz force acts on the liquid metal when current is applied perpendicularly to the magnetic field as seen in the previous numerical analysis. Specifically, the MHD Lorentz force has redirected the flow, modified the shape of the flow surface, and retarded the inlet flow. In particular, the effect of the Lorentz force is pronounced in the horizontal setting. In any settings, however, the surface tension and surface wetting play a significant role in determining flow characteristics. These are challenging problems that need to be resolved in order to put forward this concept for practical application.