LIQUID METALS IN ENERGY APPLICATIONS

Enrollment key: 2026lmea

LIQUID METALS IN ENERGY APPLICATIONS is an elective course ("Altra Attività Formativa", AAF2428) that aims to provide a closer look into the design of systems and components operating with a class of thermofluids with potential transformative capabilities for industrial applications in the energy field: the liquid metals. From alkali metals (lithium, sodium, etc.) to the alloys of heavy metals (gallium, lead, etc.), all of these fluids are characterized by a set of thermal properties that set their performances in a category above those accessible with traditional coolants such as the likes of air, water, and cooling oils. Liquid metals are considered for use in any application that requires an efficient thermal management: from solar thermal collectors, to aerospace and electronic cooling, to next generation nuclear fission and fusion reactors. The goal of this course is to provide an opportunity for the students to understand the theoretical and practical peculiarities of these fluids and to engage with the engineering challenges that they pose to the system designer. This course is aimed at students at both undergraduate (MEng) and graduate (PhD) level.