A Simulation of the Interaction Among Pressure Wave Propagation, Wall Deformation and Bubble Dynamics in a Mercury Target

Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) is promoting the construction of a mercury target as a neutron source by a nuclear spallation reaction. In the spallation reaction process, high density heat is released and strong pressure wave is generated consequently. It is considered that an erosion of the target wall might be caused due to the cavitation. In fact, some experiments show that fine damage is created on the wall when a strong pressure wave reflects on it. In this paper, a simulation of the interaction among three physical phenomena such as pressure wave propagation, wall deformation and bubble dynamics is carried out in order to investigate the possibility of the cavitation in a mercury target. In particular, we propose a method in which the bubble dynamics model is linked with the so-called weakly coupled method between the fluid model and the solid model.