HIDRA-MAT liquid metal droplet injector for liquid metal applications in HIDRA

Shone, Andrew; Koyn, Zachariah; Kamiyama, Brandon; Perez, E.; Barrus, L.; Bartlett, Nathan; Allain, Jean Paul; Andruczyk, Daniel

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2022.113193

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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Section: Droplet Types and Fabrication Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phase Complexes-compositing With Gases or Liquidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With the addition of a pressure device and heater to the injector, it was also possible to produce consistently sized LM droplets at higher temperatures (>180°C) with programmable piston movements. 46 The moving piston expelled the LM lithium (Li) from the nozzle while the high surface tension of the Li prevented the droplets from falling. Surface tension allowed for multiple successive piston steps so that the droplet size could be controlled during the formation process (Figure 2c).…”

Section: Pure Lm Dropletsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Liquid metal droplet dynamics

Zhao,

Qiao,

Zhou

et al. 2024

Droplet

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The unique properties to combine the dual merits of both liquids and metals together make the gallium‐based liquid metal (LM) droplets a class of unconventional substitute which possess great potential for a group of newly emerging areas, such as stretchable electronics, soft devices, micro sensors and actuators. In addition, LM droplets are undoubtedly an intriguing target worth of pursuing in fundamental hydrodynamic investigations due to their extremely high surface tension nature compared to classical nonmetallic fluids. Since the discovery of the diverse transformation phenomena and self‐fueled droplet mollusks of LM that can move automatically in solution via single electricity or even without any external energy supply, tremendous attentions were attracted to this special fluidic object of LM droplets. Over the past decade, there has been a proliferation of explorations on LM droplet dynamics, while the involved contents are heterogeneous due to the interfacial physical/chemical activity of the LM and the diversity of the kinetic behaviors. To better understand and manipulate the droplet behavior and to promote further development of the LMs, this review is dedicated to summarize the latest progress and presents an overview on basic findings related to LM macro‐droplet dynamics. Firstly, the extended definition of LM droplets and the corresponding fabrication methods are given. Then, typical works on LM droplet dynamics are systematically interpreted based on their different behavior categories. Finally, the perspectives, main obstacles and challenges restricting the development of LM droplet dynamics are pointed out.

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Section: Droplet Types and Fabrication Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phase Complexes-compositing With Gases or Liquidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pure Lm Dropletsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Liquid metal droplet dynamics

Zhao,

Qiao,

Zhou

et al. 2024

Droplet

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“…Post-bake out, the sample was heated to ~ 275 o C and then approximately 100g of lithium was applied invacuo to the heated substrate using HIDRA-MAT's Liquid Metal Droplet Injector (LMDI) [24]. The heater provided a constant heat source to the sample once lithium was applied and through the plasma exposure.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-operando Lithium Evaporation Inducing Helium Retention in Long-Pulse HIDRA Helium Plasmas

Shone,

Rizkallah,

O’Dea

et al. 2023

J Fusion Energ

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The Lithium Evaporation EXperiment (LEEX) investigated helium retention effects induced by in-operando lithium evaporations into the Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Lithium droplets were applied to tungsten samples and then exposed to a 600s helium plasma at different distances from the plasma edge (D=0mm, D=25mm, D=47.5mm). Spectrometers, residual gas analyzers (RGAs), and pressure gauges were employed to characterize the plasma throughout the plasma discharge. LEEX data has con rmed previous results at UIUC of in-operando lithium evaporations producing a low-recycling regime for HIDRA helium plasmas and additionally proves the retained specie is helium. The lithium evaporation from the D=25mm case had an 85.3% ± 1% increase in helium retention in the low recycling regime when compared to the steady state plasma of the LEEX control shot. Data presented substantiates previous helium retention claims and advances research surrounding liquid metal PFCs. A retention mechanism has not been identi ed, but further research utilizing HIDRA and HIDRA-MAT aims to investigate this. This study's outcomes are thoroughly presented and provide an additional justi cation for conducting further research on lithium's behavior in fusion environments, given its substantial potential impact on the development of plasmafacing components (PFCs).

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“…The concept is similar to that of the MAPP used on LTX and NSTX [39] in that it provides an in-vacuo method to expose samples to the plasma and then do analysis on them without breaking vacuum and thus contaminating any surface effects. Detailed description of HIDRA-MAT can be found in Shone et al [27] but one of the main features of HIDRA-MAT is that the sample surface can be rotated 180 • , allowing a lithium injector to apply a drop of liquid lithium [40] onto a surface on the probe head in-vacuo. The probe head can be heated to ensure wetting of the surface.…”

Section: Materials Analysis Test Stand (Hidra-mat)mentioning

confidence: 99%

First lithium experiments in HIDRA and evidence of helium retention during quasi-steady-state stellarator plasma operations

Andruczyk

Koyn

Allain

et al. 2022

Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion

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Experiments in HIDRA have had operational discharges between tdischarge = 60 – 1000 s using ECRH heating. This means that quasi-steady-state plasma discharges reach conditions to study long-pulse plasma material interactions. The HIDRA-MAT PMI diagnostic is used to place a drop of lithium onto a heated tungsten surface, transfer the sample in-vacuo and expose it in a helium plasma. Helium is of interest as there is an open question to whether lithium will be able to remove helium ash in real fusion devices. It was also observed that the plasma density and temperature increased by over 2.5 times. During lithium evaporation, as significant lithium ionization occurs, there is a 91% drop in the neutral pressure that is injected into the vessel, despite a constant flow of He gas. This is backed up by the fact that the helium neutral light intensity also drops. At one point in the discharge a lithium plasma is created, as indicated by an increase in Li+ emission and a complete reduction in He+ emission, but the electron density jumps from ne = 3×1018 m-3 to over ne = 8×1018 m-3 while the core temperature stays relatively constant between Te = 16 eV – 20 eV. Once the source of lithium is expired, residual Li and Li+ in the plasma maintain a low neutral He background which allows a He plasma to re-establish and be more efficiently heated. Here the density drops down to ne = 2×1018 m-3 and the electron temperature increases from Te = 20 eV to over Te = 50 eV. This is also indicated by the He+ emission re-establishing and having a higher intensity. In this paper we show the results from the first lithium campaign in HIDRA. In the presence of lithium, the helium disappears from the plasma via an as of yet unknown complex relationship that needs to be further studied.

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HIDRA-MAT liquid metal droplet injector for liquid metal applications in HIDRA

Cited by 7 publications

References 8 publications

Liquid metal droplet dynamics

Liquid metal droplet dynamics

In-operando Lithium Evaporation Inducing Helium Retention in Long-Pulse HIDRA Helium Plasmas

First lithium experiments in HIDRA and evidence of helium retention during quasi-steady-state stellarator plasma operations

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