Experimental Investigation of Free Liquid Metal Jets in Vacuum: Preliminary Results for IFE Chamber Wall Protection Applications

Experiments are under way at UCLA to simulate the liquid slab jets of the HYLIFE-II Inertial Fusion Reactor. Measurements of surface ripple and break-up length are made based on photographic images of the jet flow, and velocity data is obtained from an orifice-type flow meter. The experiment can be run with a selection of nozzles and upstream conditioners in order to determine the optimum configuration for suppressing disturbances. Preliminary data, taken while verifying the operation of the experimental system, indicate that the slab jets issuing from a nozzle comprisedslot cut in an orifice plate this nozzle type contract out of their initial rectangular shape more rapidly than would be expected from surface tension forces alone. Subsequent data are expected to aid in the proof-of-principle for thick liquid cavity designs, provide insight into design requirements of such systems, and increase the fundamental understanding of turbulent liquid jet flow in vacuum.