Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Understanding And Optimizing Surfaces And Interfaces In Energy Conversion Devices, Clemens Heske

UNLV Renewable Energy Symposium

This inaugural event is dedicated to showcasing the renewable/sustainable energy projects of UNLV faculty, staff, students, and collaborators, as well as other external projects underway statewide and nationally. The development and utilization of new technologies to protect the environment, achieve energy independence, and strengthen the economy will be explored. Speakers and poster-session presenters will provide further insight to many ongoing projects and innovative research ideas.

Organized by UNLV’s Office of Strategic Energy Programs, the event offers participants the opportunity to learn about energy projects and will encourage networking and collaboration. This symposium is intended for researchers, educators, students, policy makers, …

Modeling And Design Algorithms For Electromagnetic Pumps, Daniel P. Cook

Reactor Campaign (TRP)

Electromagnetic (EM) induction pumps are used in a number of nuclear energy related applications, such as circulation of molten lead-bismuth eutectic alloys in neutron targets, and circulation of liquid sodium metal in Gen IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFR). Because EM pumps have no moving parts which can fail, they are considerably more reliable than conventional mechanical pumps for molten metal usage, and thus EM pumps are favored over mechanical pumps even though their pumping efficiency is lower and their initial cost is higher when compared to mechanical pumps of similar flow rates.

The research objectives of this task are:

• A …

Thermal Transient Flow Rate Sensor For High Temperature Liquid Metal Cooled Nuclear Reactor, Yingtao Jiang

Reactor Campaign (TRP)

In nuclear power plants and accelerator driven system (ADS) for nuclear waste treatment, it is important to monitor the coolant flow rate in the reactor core and pipe-line. In such a strong irradiation, high pressure and temperature environment, no accurate local flow measurement technique is readily available. Electromagnetic (EM) flow meter is popular in low temperature application as it is a non-intrusive technology. However, additional voltage will be produced due to temperature, flow, pressure, the chemical properties of the liquid metal and surface condition of the steel walls. In addition, the non-definite wetting behavior of liquid lead-bismuth to the electrically …