Development of a RELAP5/MOD3.3 Module for MHD Pressure Drop Analysis in Liquid Metals Loops: Verification and Validation

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) phenomena, due to the interaction between a magnetic field and moving electro-conductive fluid, are crucial for design of magnetic-confinement fusion reactors and, specifically, breeding blanket concepts that adopt liquid metals (LMs) as working fluids. Computational tools employed lead fusion-relevant physical analysis, but dedicated MHD code able simulate all phenomena involved in is still not available there dearth systems featuring modelling capabilities. In this paper, models predict both 2D 3D pressure drop, derived by experimental numerical works, have been implemented thermal-hydraulic system RELAP5/MOD3.3 (RELAP5). The verification validation procedure module involves comparison results obtained with those direct simulation data works. As relevant examples, RELAP5 used recreate analysis two test modules: Lithium Lead Ceramic Breeder Helium-Cooled Lead. novel subroutines proven reliable prediction drop simple complex geometries related LM circuits at high intensity (error range ±10%).