S. Smolentsev

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1984: Graduated Leningrad Polytechnic Institute (LPI), USSR in Thermophysics 1990: Ph.D. in Thermophysics1995: Postdoctoral study at Ben Gurion University, Israel 1990-1998: Professor at St.Petersburg State Technical University, Russia1998-present: Researcher at University of California, Los Angeles, USA

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Vivekanand Jha

Fortis Escorts Heart Institute

Christian Munthe

University of Gothenburg

Nihal Engin Vrana

Université de Strasbourg

Silvia De Bianchi

Università degli Studi di Milano - State University of Milan (Italy)

Sreejith Parameswaran

JIPMER

Angus Wilkinson

University of Oxford

John Kanellis

Monash University

John Herrmann

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Erhan FIRATLI

Istanbul University

Hsien Shang

Academia Sinica

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Papers by S. Smolentsev

On the exploration of innovative concepts for fusion chamber technology

by Nasr Ghoniem, N. Morley, S. Smolentsev, and Mohamed Sawan

Fusion Engineering and Design, 2001

This study, called APEX, is exploring novel concepts for fusion chamber technology that can subst... more This study, called APEX, is exploring novel concepts for fusion chamber technology that can substantially improve the attractiveness of fusion energy systems. The emphasis of the study is on fundamental understanding and advancing the underlying engineering sciences, integration of the physics and engineering requirements, and enhancing innovation for the chamber technology components surrounding the plasma. The chamber technology goals in APEX include: (1) high power density capability with neutron wall load \ 10 MW/m 2 and surface heat flux \ 2 MW/m 2 , (2) high power conversion efficiency ( \ 40%), (3) high availability, and (4) simple technological and material constraints. Two classes of innovative concepts have emerged that offer great promise and deserve further research and development. The first class seeks to eliminate the solid ''bare'' first wall by flowing liquids facing the plasma. This liquid wall idea evolved during the APEX study into a number of concepts based on: (a) using liquid metals (Li or Sn-Li) or a molten salt (Flibe) as the working liquid, (b) utilizing electromagnetic, inertial and/or other types of forces to restrain the liquid against a backing wall and control the hydrodynamic flow configurations, and (c) employing a thin ( 2 cm) or thick ( 40 cm) liquid layer to remove the surface heat flux and attenuate the neutrons. These liquid wall concepts have some common features but also have widely different issues and merits. Some of the attractive features of liquid walls include the potential for: (1) high power density capability; (2) higher plasma b and stable physics regimes if liquid metals are used; (3) increased disruption survivability; (4) reduced volume of radioactive waste; (5) reduced radiation damage in structural materials; and (6) higher availability. Analyses show that not all of these potential advantages may be realized simultaneously in a single concept. However, the realization of only a subset of these advantages will result in remarkable progress toward attractive fusion energy systems. Of the many scientific and engineering issues for liquid walls, the most important are: (1) plasma-liquid interactions including both plasma-liquid surface and liquid wall-bulk plasma interactions; (2) hydrodynamic flow configuration control in complex geometries including penetrations; and (3) heat transfer at free surface and temperature control. The second class of concepts focuses on ideas for extending the capabilities, particularly the power density and operating temperature limits, of solid first walls. The most promising idea, called EVOLVE, is based on the use of a high-temperature refractory alloy (e.g. W -5% Re) with an innovative cooling scheme based on the use of the heat of vaporization of lithium. Calculations show that an evaporative system with Li at 1 200°C can remove the goal heat loads and result in a high power conversion efficiency. The vapor operating pressure is low, resulting in a very low operating stress in the structure. In addition, the lithium flow rate is about a factor of ten lower than that required for traditional self-cooled first wall/blanket concepts. Therefore, insulator coatings are not required. Key issues for EVOLVE include: (1) two-phase heat transfer and transport including MHD effects; (2) feasibility of fabricating entire blanket segments of W alloys; and (3) the effect of neutron irradiation on W.

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APEX advanced ferritic steel, Flibe self-cooled first wall and blanket design

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2004

As an element in the U.S. Advanced Power Extraction (APEX) program, we evaluated the design optio... more As an element in the U.S. Advanced Power Extraction (APEX) program, we evaluated the design option of using advanced nanocomposite ferritic steel (AFS) as the structural material and Flibe as the tritium breeder and coolant. We selected the recirculating flow configuration as our reference design. Based on the material properties of AFS, we found that the reference design can handle a maximum surface heat flux of 1 MW/m 2 , and a maximum neutron wall loading of 5.4 MW/m 2 , with a gross thermal efficiency of 47%, while meeting all the tritium breeding and structural design requirements. This paper covers the results of the following areas of evaluation: materials selection, first wall and blanket design configuration, materials compatibility, components fabrication, neutronics analysis, thermal hydraulics analysis including MHD effects, structural analysis, molten salt and helium closed cycle power conversion system, and safety and waste disposal of the recirculating coolant design.

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An overview of dual coolant Pb–17Li breeder first wall and blanket concept development for the US ITER-TBM design

by Mohamed Sawan, Clement Wong, R. Kurtz, and S. Smolentsev

Fusion Engineering and Design, 2006

An attractive blanket concept for the fusion reactor is the dual coolant Pb-17Li liquid (DCLL) br... more An attractive blanket concept for the fusion reactor is the dual coolant Pb-17Li liquid (DCLL) breeder design. Reduced activation ferritic steel (RAFS) is used as the structural material. Helium is used to cool the first wall and blanket structure, and the self-cooled breeder Pb-17Li is circulated for power conversion and for tritium breeding. A SiC f /SiC composite insert is used as the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) insulation to reduce the impact from the MHD pressure drop of the circulating Pb-17Li and as the thermal insulator to separate the high temperature Pb-17Li from the helium cooled RAFS structure. For the reference tokamak power reactor design, this blanket concept has the potential of satisfying the design limits of RAFS while allowing the feasibility of having a high Pb-17Li outlet temperature of 700 • C. We have identified critical issues for the concept, some of which include the first wall design, the assessment of MHD effects with the SiC-composite flow coolant insert, and the extraction and control of the bred tritium from the Pb-17Li breeder. R&D programs have been proposed to address these issues. At the same time we have proposed a test plan for the DCLL ITER-Test Blanket Module program.

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MHD considerations for the DCLL inboard blanket and access ducts

by S. Smolentsev, Siegfried Malang, and M. Abdou

Fusion Engineering and Design, 2010

The pre-conceptual design for the US DEMO inboard dual-coolant lead-lithium breeding blanket is i... more The pre-conceptual design for the US DEMO inboard dual-coolant lead-lithium breeding blanket is introduced for the first time followed by the assessment for the most important magnetohydrodynamic issues for the blanket module itself and access ducts. The considered issues include: (i) the magnetohydrodynamic pressure drop, (ii) electric insulation in poloidal flows using the silicon carbide flow channel insert, and (iii) countercurrent flows in the access ducts.

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