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Article

Simulation of Oxygen Diffusion in Lead–Bismuth Eutectic for Gas-Phase Oxygen Management

by
Zhihong Tang
*,
Bin Yang
,
Wenjun Zhang
,
Ruohan Chen
,
Shusheng Guo
,
Junfeng Li
,
Liyuan Wang
and
Xing Huang
China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 5128026, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Nucl. Eng. 2026, 7(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/jne7010005
Submission received: 10 August 2025 / Revised: 19 November 2025 / Accepted: 3 December 2025 / Published: 1 January 2026
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Abstract

Lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE), while advantageous for advanced nuclear reactors due to its thermophysical properties, faces oxidation and corrosion challenges during operation. This study aims to optimize gas-phase oxygen control by computationally analyzing oxygen transport dynamics in an LBE loop. High-fidelity simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent and STAR-CCM+ based on the CORRIDA loop geometry, employing detailed meshing for convergence. Steady-state analyses revealed localized oxygen enrichment near the gas–liquid interface (peaking at ∼3×10−6 wt%), decreasing to ∼5.0−6.8×10−8 wt% at the outlet. Transient simulations from an oxygen-deficient state (1×10−8 wt%) demonstrated distribution stabilization within 150 s, driven by convection-enhanced diffusion. Parametric studies identified a non-monotonic relationship between inlet velocity and oxygen uptake, with optimal performance at 0.7–0.9 m/s, while increasing temperature from 573 K to 823 K monotonically enhanced the outlet concentration by >200% due to improved diffusivity/solubility. The average mass transfer coefficient (0.6–0.7) aligned with literature values (±20% deviation), validating the model’s treatment of interface thermodynamics and turbulence. These findings the advance mechanistic understanding of oxygen transport in LBE and directly inform the design of oxygenation systems and corrosion mitigation strategies for liquid metal-cooled reactors.
Keywords: oxygen diffusion; lead–bismuth eutectic; computational analysis oxygen diffusion; lead–bismuth eutectic; computational analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tang, Z.; Yang, B.; Zhang, W.; Chen, R.; Guo, S.; Li, J.; Wang, L.; Huang, X. Simulation of Oxygen Diffusion in Lead–Bismuth Eutectic for Gas-Phase Oxygen Management. J. Nucl. Eng. 2026, 7, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/jne7010005

AMA Style

Tang Z, Yang B, Zhang W, Chen R, Guo S, Li J, Wang L, Huang X. Simulation of Oxygen Diffusion in Lead–Bismuth Eutectic for Gas-Phase Oxygen Management. Journal of Nuclear Engineering. 2026; 7(1):5. https://doi.org/10.3390/jne7010005

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tang, Zhihong, Bin Yang, Wenjun Zhang, Ruohan Chen, Shusheng Guo, Junfeng Li, Liyuan Wang, and Xing Huang. 2026. "Simulation of Oxygen Diffusion in Lead–Bismuth Eutectic for Gas-Phase Oxygen Management" Journal of Nuclear Engineering 7, no. 1: 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/jne7010005

APA Style

Tang, Z., Yang, B., Zhang, W., Chen, R., Guo, S., Li, J., Wang, L., & Huang, X. (2026). Simulation of Oxygen Diffusion in Lead–Bismuth Eutectic for Gas-Phase Oxygen Management. Journal of Nuclear Engineering, 7(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/jne7010005

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