The New Mexico Liquid Sodium α - Ω Dynamo Experiment

EXPERIMENT OPERATION &
OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. Experiment Operation

1.1. Training and Testing: Phase I

As the Phase-I construction of the Liquid Sodium α - Ω Dynamo apparatus and related sub-systems is finishing, the following operations as an experiment will be taking place:

  1. Initiate Safety Training for all personnel associated with the testing and operation of the experiment. Please see Safety Practices, Procedures and Compliance at http://www.nmt.edu/~dynamo/Safety/.
    • Dynamo Project Group (DPG) members
    • New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMIMT), Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) engineer and support personnel
    • Local Fire Department personnel

  2. Check and verify the operation of the variable-speed drive, encoding tachometer for speed control, electric brakes and electro-clutch on the main drive system. This is to be done prior to coupling the main drive to the apparatus via HTD belts.

  3. Calibrate, install and test the pressure sensors in the apparatus.

  4. Test and set the safety, pressure-relief valve in the apparatus.
    • Used to mechanically exhaust material from the apparatus test-cell in case of pressure buildup from heating or transient pressure spike
    • Automatic pressure relief at preset value
    • Capable of operating over thermal range of 20 - 150 C
    • Material released from actuation into atmospheric pressure containment vessel
    • Physically situated on the rotation axis of the apparatus at the thrust-end of the test cell

  5. Low-pressure hydrostatic test the apparatus with mineral oil for integrity verification. This will include measurements of end-plate deflection and outer cylinder expansion.

  6. Calibrate, install and test the temperature sensors in the apparatus and sub-systems.

  7. Test the recirculating heated mineral oil system used to liquefy the sodium metal in the storage drum and apparatus.
    • Measure and check volumetric flow rates of mineral oil through all lines, valves and couplings of system
    • Check and set the thermal controls for the system >
    • Measure and check the heat capacity and time to heat-soak (saturate) the system up to the operating temperature of 115 C

  8. Couple the main drive system and the lubrication system to the apparatus.

  9. Hydrodynamic pressure test the apparatus with mineral oil for integrity verification (at EMRTC).
    1. With ambient temperature mineral oil flowing through recirculating system
      1. With apparatus undergoing solid-body rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      2. With apparatus undergoing differential rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      3. Measure the thermal rise from viscous heating of the fluid and apparatus due to differential rotation of mineral oil in the test-cell

    2. With 115 C temperature mineral oil flowing through recirculating system
      1. With apparatus undergoing solid-body rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      2. With apparatus undergoing differential rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      3. Measure the thermal rise from viscous heating of the fluid and apparatus due to differential rotation of mineral oil in the test-cell

  10. Install, test and calibrate the diagnostic magnetic field coils.
    • Calibrate the magnetic field versus supplied current
    • 2 non-rotating, multiple-turn coils
    • Each coil ~ 2 cm wide by ~ 1 cm thick aluminum strap. Each coil is separable into two, semi-cylindrical halves for ease of installation. This will facilitate the coils being mounted or removed without lifting the apparatus from the bearings.
    • Mounted coaxially with the rotation axis of the apparatus
    • The current of each coil can be established separately so that an oppositely-directed current can induce a radially-directed quadrupole magnetic field, or if the currents are in the same direction, the fields add and a Helmholtz configuration is produced.
    • Used as a diagnostic tool to measure partial gain of the dynamo
      • Analyze the efficiency of Ω-deformation as gain ratio between poloidal and toroidal fields
      • Analyze the fractional-to-positive gain of the α-deformation as the dynamo effect
    • Initially will provide small, ~ 50 G "seed" magnetic field for re-orientation/multiplication by the Ω-effect (the Ω-deformation of the α - Ω dynamo)
    • Ultimately will provide large, ~ 1 kG magnetic field for investigating the Balbus-Hawley instability, back-reaction, and saturated field conditions

  11. Calibrate, install and test the magnetic field Hall-effect detectors used in the radial probe.
    • Use a separate, bench field to calibrate the Hall detectors in three orientations
    • Individual detectors are single-axis
    • Dynamic detection range of 0.2 G to 20 kG

    The radial probe is inserted into the radial probe housing internal to the apparatus

    • Consists of a linear array of 6 detector sets
    • Each detector set configured as a 3-axis package
    • Each 3-axis package made up of single-axis detectors
    • 18 single-axis detectors total
    • Radial probe housing
      • Facilitates radial probe insertion and removal from apparatus
      • Permanently mounted by high-pressure sealing flange to outer cylinder
      • Has zero-lift inducing fluid flow profile
      • Oriented for non-turbulent flow with respect to azimuthal fluid circulation
    • Complete, non-operative facsimile of radial probe and housing assembly mounted diametrically opposed in azimuth for dynamic balancing symmetry
    • Used for both Phases of the experiment: Ω- and α-deformation

1.2. The Liquid Sodium Experiment: Phase I

  1. Fill the apparatus with sodium metal (at EMRTC). Please see Safety Practices, Procedures and Compliance at http://www.nmt.edu/~dynamo/Safety/.

  2. Initiate Ω-deformation magnetic experiments (at EMRTC).

1.3. Testing: Phase II

When the Phase-II construction of the Liquid Sodium α - Ω Dynamo apparatus is finished, the following operations as an experiment will be taking place:

  1. Check and verify the operation of the plume generation system.

  2. Hydrodynamic pressure test the apparatus with the plume generation system using mineral oil for integrity verification (at EMRTC).
    1. With ambient temperature mineral oil flowing through recirculating system
      1. Induce plumes with apparatus undergoing solid-body rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      2. Induce plumes with apparatus undergoing differential rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius

    2. With 115 C temperature mineral oil flowing through recirculating system
      1. Induce plumes with apparatus undergoing solid-body rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius
      2. Induce plumes with apparatus undergoing differential rotation, measure and check pressure profile (velocity distribution) as a function of radius

  3. Calibrate, install and test the magnetic field Hall-effect detectors used externally in the matrix array.
    • Use a separate, bench field to calibrate the Hall detectors in three orientations
    • Individual detectors are single-axis
    • Dynamic detection range of 0.2 G to 20 kG

    The matrix array is mounted on the external surface of the driven end-plate of the apparatus
    • Consists of a 5 × 6 matrix array of 30 detector sets
      • 5 radial positions
      • 6 azimuthal positions
    • Each detector set configured as a 3-axis package
    • Each 3-axis package made up of single-axis detectors
    • 90 single-axis detectors total
    • Azimuthally adjustable for optimizing position with respect to the flux-transporting plumes
    • Used for Phase-II of the experiment: α-deformation and the α - Ω dynamo

1.4. The Liquid Sodium Experiment: Phase II

  1. Initiate α-deformation magnetic experiments (at EMRTC).

  2. Initiate α - Ω dynamo experiments (at EMRTC).

  3. Initiate high magnetic field experiments (at EMRTC).
    • Balbus-Hawley instability
    • Back reaction
    • Saturated fields

2. Operating Procedures

Operating Procedures for some of the above listed facets of Experiment Operation are currently being developed. This is an evolving process of the experiment at this stage. As the Operating Procedures are developed they will be posted at this site.

Listed below are some facets of Experiment Operation for which Operating Procedures are being developed. The itemized numbers coincide with the sections listed above.

Phase I
  1. Safety Training for all personnel associated with the experiment

  2. Operation of the main drive system

  3. Calibrate and test pressure sensors

  4. Test and set the safety valve

  5. Hydrostatic pressure test the apparatus

  6. Calibrate and test the temperature sensors

  7. Operation of the recirculating heated mineral oil system

  8. Hydrodynamic pressure test the apparatus

  9. Data analysis for differential rotation velocity distribution

  10. Test and calibrate the magnetic coils

  11. Calibrate and test the radial probe Hall-effect detectors

  12. Liquid sodium metal transfer
    1. From storage drum to apparatus
    2. From apparatus to storage drum

  13. Magnetic experiments for Ω-deformation at 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 × Ω0
    1. Data analysis for Ω-deformation magnetic experiments
Phase II
  1. Check and verify the plume generation system

  2. Hydrodynamic pressure test the apparatus with plume generation system
    1. Data analysis for differential rotation velocity distribution with induced plumes

  3. Calibrate and test the matrix array Hall-effect detectors

  4. Magnetic experiments for α-deformation up to Ω0
    1. Data analysis for α-deformation magnetic experiments

  5. Magnetic experiments for α - Ω dynamo
    1. Data analysis for α - Ω dynamo experiments

  6. High B field experiments
    1. Balbus-Hawley instability
    2. Back reaction
    3. Saturated fields

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