Development of a Test Bed to Investigate Wetting Behaviours of High-Temperature Heavy Liquid Metals for Advanced Nuclear Applications
Name
liquids-05-00033.pdf
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3.32 MB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
a79ede42967ec25181af96373c5b8cd9
Author(s)
Saraswat, Abhishek
Bhattacharyay, Rajendraprasad
Chaudhuri, Paritosh
Gedupudi, Sateesh
Date Issued
November 26, 2025
Journal
Liquids
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Citation
Saraswat, A.; Bhattacharyay, R.; Chaudhuri, P.; Gedupudi, S. Development of a Test Bed to Investigate Wetting Behaviours of High-Temperature Heavy Liquid Metals for Advanced Nuclear Applications. Liquids 2025, 5, 33.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Specifically engineered heavy liquid metals are proposed as candidate coolants and tritium breeders for advanced nuclear applications. Understanding the wetting behaviours of these liquids on relevant substrate configurations is crucial to tackle the challenges associated with corrosion protection and flow diagnostics development. However, detailed investigations are scarce in the literature. In this experimental study, an apparatus is designed to measure contact angles of different liquid metals over a mirror-polished horizontal SS-304 substrate. This paper presents design aspects of the developed test facility, as well as initial results obtained using direct imaging and the Low-Bond Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis algorithm-based image processing technique. Methodological validation is achieved through surrogate liquids/liquid metals (H2O, Hg, Ga, GaInSn), prior to taking measurements from molten lead (Pb) droplets at 425 °C. Estimated contact angles obtained using the two techniques lie within ±10% deviation. Towards the end, the paper lays out plans for future upgrades for studies of wetting behaviours of molten Pb/Pb alloys on substrates with relevant surface properties, including bare P-91 and reduced-activation ferritic–martensitic steels, along with Al2O3/Er2O3-coated versions of these materials, to generate a database for Gen-IV fission reactors and fusion power plants.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Plasma Science and Fusion Center
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Creative Commons Attribution
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3390/liquids5040033
