Natural convection cooling of the IFMIF target and test cell

Abstract The present work summarizes efforts on the simulation of natural convection cooling within the IFMIF target and test cell. The simulations have been performed with the STAR-CD code using the k–ω high-Reynolds number turbulence model. A dedicated thermohydraulic model has been devised including Lithium loop components. Nuclear heat production has been calculated by the Monte-Carlo code McDeLicious for different parts of the target and test cell walls and was used as input for the STAR-CD simulations. Helium atmospheres at several pressures from 0.1 to 10−5 MPa have been investigated. In order to limit the maximum temperature of the concrete walls to 80 °C it was necessary to add thermal insulation layers to the hot Lithium loop surfaces and a conceptual system of two cooling layers in different depths of the concrete walls.