Enhancement of heat dissipation efficiency in the CSNS target through the innovative design of a serial cooling water channel

Abstract

This paper presents a coupling of the Monte Carlo method with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze the flow channel design of an irradiated target through numerical simulations. A novel series flow channel configuration is proposed, which effectively facilitates the removal of heat generated by high-power irradiation from the target without necessitating an increase in the cooling water flow rate. The research assesses the performance of both parallel and serial cooling channels within the target, revealing that, when subjected to equivalent cooling water flow rates, the maximum temperature observed in the target employing the serial channel configuration is lower. This reduction in temperature is ascribed to the accelerated flow of cooling water within the serial channel, which subsequently elevates both the Reynolds number and the Nusselt number, leading to enhanced heat transfer efficiency. Furthermore, the maximum temperature is observed to occur further downstream, thereby circumventing areas of peak heat generation. This phenomenon arises because the cooling water traverses the target plates with the highest internal heat generation at a lower temperature when the flow channels are arranged in series, optimizing the cooling effect on these targets. However, it is crucial to note that the pressure loss associated with the serial structure is two orders of magnitude greater than that of the parallel structure, necessitating increased pump power and imposing stricter requirements on the target container and cooling water pipeline. These findings can serve as a reference for the design of the cooling channels in the target station system, particularly in light of the anticipated increase in beam power during the second phase of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS Ⅱ).