Thermal mixing characteristics of helium gas in high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, (I) thermal mixing behavior of helium gas in HTTR

The future high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is now designed in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The reactor has many merging points of helium gas with different temperatures. It is needed to clear the thermal mixing characteristics of helium gas at the pipe in the HTGR from the viewpoint of structure integrity and temperature control. Previously, the reactor inlet coolant temperature was controlled lower than specific one in the high-temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) due to lack of mixing of helium gas in the primary cooling system. Now, the control system is improved to use the calculated bulk temperature of reactor inlet helium gas. In this paper, thermal–hydraulic analysis on the primary cooling system of the HTTR was conducted to clarify the thermal mixing behavior of helium gas. As a result, it was confirmed that the thermal mixing behavior is mainly affected by the aspect ratio of annular flow path, and it is needed to consider the mixing characteristics of helium gas at the piping design of the HTGR.     

Design of the material performance test apparatus for high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Most materials can be easily corroded or ineffective in carbonaceous atmospheres at high temperatures in the reactor core of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor （HTGR）. To solve the problem, a material performance test apparatus was built to provide reliable materials and technical support for relevant experiments of the HTGR. The apparatus uses a center high-purity graphite heater and surrounding thermal insulating layers made of carbon fiber felt to form a strong carbon reducing atmosphere inside the apparatus. Specially designed tungsten rhenium thermocouples which can endure high temperatures in carbonaceous atmospheres are used to control the temperature field. A typical experimental process was analyzed in the paper, which lasted 76 hours including seven stages. Experimental results showed the test apparatus could completely simulate the carbon reduction atmosphere and high temperature environment the same as that confronted in the real reactor and the performance of screened materials had been successfully tested and verified. Test temperature in the apparatus could be elevated up to 1600℃, which covered the whole temperature range of the normal operation and accident condition of HTGR and could fully meet the test reauirements of materials used in the reactor.     

10 MW高温气冷实验堆吸收球停堆系统设备热态试验

碳化硼吸收球停堆系统是10 MW高温气冷实验堆的第二停堆系统,其功能是,在控制棒失效时,吸收球落入反射层的吸收球孔道,以达到紧急停堆的目的.介绍了在堆外、空气介质、150 ℃工作温度条件下,对吸收球传动机构设备进行的热态考验、传动试验和落球试验.结果表明,吸收球停堆系统7套设备均达到了传动机构工作正常、落球时间在3 min之内、球位指示正确等设计要求.7套设备安装到10 MW高温气冷实验堆上之后,在堆上进行了氦气介质下的热态落球试验,其结果达到设计规范的要求.     

Steady thermal hydraulic analysis for a molten salt reactor

The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) can meet the demand of transmutation and breeding. In this study, theoretical calculation of steady thermal hydraulic characteristics of a graphite-moderated channel type MSR is conducted. The DRAGON code is adopted to calculate the axial and radial power factor firstly. The flow and heat transfer model in the fuel salt and graphite are developed on basis of the fundamental mass, momentum and energy equations. The results show the detailed flow distribution in the core, and the temperature profiles of the fuel salt, inner and outer wall in the nine typical elements along the axial flow direction are also obtained.     

间接氦气透平循环高温堆紧急停堆动态仿真

通过对10 MW高温气冷堆氦气透平发电装置(HTR-10GT)的堆芯、热交换器和透平压气机组等主要设备的数学建模和程序编制,初步建立起了一套模拟该装置瞬态特性的仿真程序.通过对该装置于5s时刻堆内引入0.1$阶跃正反应性引发的紧急停堆事故的瞬态模拟,初步验证了该装置紧急停堆预案设置的安全性和合理性,证明了旁路快开阀的设...     

Leak rate calculation for LBB analysis in high temperature gas-cooled reactors

Leak rate calculation is very important for Leak Before Break (LBB) analysis. Helium is used as coolant in high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). Therefore the flows in the cracks of HTGR vessels and pipes are single phase, which are different from the two phase critical flows in the cracks of water reactors. In the present paper, simple leak rate calculation formulae for compressible laminar and turbulent flows in HTGR cracks are introduced. The velocity and pressure distributions in cracks as well as the leak rates are calculated using the formulae. Numerical simulations are also conducted for compressible laminar, turbulent and critical flows with different crack widths and depths. The results of the numerical simulation and theoretical formulae are compared with experimental data. The comparison shows that both the simple theoretical formulae and the numerical simulation can achieve good results.     

高温气冷堆下联箱热气混合的数值模拟和几何优化

高温气冷堆下联箱用于混合温度不均的堆芯出口气体。已有研究显示,当前下联箱设计方案的气体混合能力尚待提高,由其导致的压力损失则需进一步降低。本文采用数值模拟方法,并对比实验数据,讨论了适用于下联箱几何优化的网格类型和网格规模,通过合并原有的肋片状流道以及扩展热气导管起始端,对下联箱的几何形状进行了优化,并通过对比不同优化方案选出了兼具提升气体混合率和减小压力损失的改进方案。本文的研究结果可为高温气冷堆下联箱的改进设计提供参考依据。     

Development of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel in Japan

This paper describes experiences and present status of research and development works for the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel in Japan. Recently, Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) is evaluated highly worldwide, and is a principal candidate for the Generation IV reactor systems. In Japan, HTGR fuel fabrication technologies have been developed through the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) project in Japan Atomic Energy Agency since 1960’s. In total about 2 tons of uranium of the HTTR fuel has been fabricated successfully and its excellent quality has been confirmed through the long-term high temperature operation. Based on the HTTR fuel technologies, SiC TRISO fuel has been newly developed for burnup extension targeted VHTR. For ZrC-TRISO coated fuel as an advanced fuel designs, R&Ds for fabrication and inspection have been carried out in JAEA. The irradiation with the Japanese uniform stoichiometric ZrC coating has been completed in the cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the United States.     

空间气冷反应堆堆芯流动换热数值仿真研究

以美国普罗米修斯计划反应堆为参考,建立了空间气冷反应堆堆芯结构的三维模型,利用蒙特卡罗方法计算得到了堆芯真实功率分布,并使用Star-CCM+软件开展了1/6堆芯的流动换热计算,分析得到了堆芯温度场、速度场和压力场的分布情况,评估了现有设计中仍待优化之处,并提出了相关的优化建议。计算结果表明,该反应堆设计可将冷却剂加热到工作温度,能满足基本的技术指标。但从优化角度考虑,需对堆芯入口段与出口段进行优化设计,通过改变入口管与压力容器间的角度等,可降低不必要的能量损失,提高堆芯出口温度与速度分布均匀性,同时降低冷却剂对诸如气轮机等设备的不利影响。     

快中子脉冲反应堆爆发脉冲时堆体应力分布的数值模拟

为分析爆发脉冲时堆体构件的应力响应,建立了基于中国第二号快中子脉冲堆(CFBR-Ⅱ堆)的一个二维模型。采用M．C(蒙特卡洛)方法计算了模型的相对中子注量分布,推导了代替动力学方程的热加载关系式,并将计算得到的中子注量分布与实测结果引入热加载关系式中,用有限元程序计算了已知热加载情况下的几种构件的应力分布。分析认为,由于该方法能准确描述模型的几何结构．并且计算中引入了实测结果,因此,对于结构复杂的模型其计算结果应比通常采用的耦合计算方法更为合理。     

Influences of the ZrC coating process and heat treatment on ZrC-coated kernels used as fuel in Pu-burner high temperature gas-cooled reactor in Japan

ABSTRACT

The concept of Pu-burner high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) has been proposed to more safely reduce the amount of recovered Pu. In the Pu-burner HTGR concept, coated fuel particles with ZrC-coated yttria-stabilized zirconia containing PuO₂ (PuO₂-YSZ) kernels are employed for very high burn-up and high nuclear proliferation resistance. The role of ZrC layer is that of oxygen getter. CeO₂-YSZ kernels were fabricated to simulate the PuO₂-YSZ kernel and coated with a ZrC layer. In this study, we clarified that both Ce-rich grains and Zr-rich grains were densely distributed in surface regions of the as-fabricated CeO₂-YSZ kernel. However, we have already clarified that the surface region of the CeO₂-YSZ kernel coated with a ZrC layer was porous and mainly consisted of Zr-rich grains. These experimental results confirmed that Ce-rich grains were selectively corroded during the ZrC coating process. Then, the chemical stability of Zr-rich grains would be higher than that of Pu-rich grains. Thus, it would be more difficult to extract Pu from PuO₂-YSZ kernels (in which almost all grains are Zr-rich) than from PuO₂-YSZ kernels (in which many Pu-rich grains are included). Influences of the sintering of fuel compact on the microstructure of the ZrC-coated CeO₂-YSZ kernel is also reported.     

快堆蒸汽发生器小泄漏下三维流场数值模拟

为了计算快堆蒸汽发生器小泄漏后钠水反应产物的传输扩散,对快堆壳管式蒸汽发生器内稳态钠流场进行了三维数值模拟,建立了蒸汽发生器内钠流场三维数值模型。管束对钠流的影响用分布阻力、体积多孔率、面渗透率来模拟,并根据横掠管束与纵掠管束的压力阻力关系式来关联管束的分布阻力。采用κ－ε湍流模型,壳和支撑板壁面采和壁面函数法来处理。模型计算压降与实验数据比较,二者吻合较好。     

带热套管的T型接管内流动换热的数值模拟和实验研究

为了分析核反应堆冷却剂系统中带热套管T型接管内由于注入非等横向射流导致的构件热冲击状况，本文应用计算流体力学商用软件FLUENT5．3进行了紊流流动换热的数值模拟，分析了主管及接管与热套间环腔内的流动换热特性，针对套管上开有通流小孔，并采用凸台支撑的热套管结构形式，模拟了射流与主流流速比为0．05及0．5两种典型工程，传热实验，研究了主管及接管内壁近壁区域的传热特性，并讨论了热套管尺寸变化对接管热冲击的影响，结果表明，数值模拟与实验数据吻合良好，热套管对构件的热保护程度与热套管结构形式及流速比密切相关，适当减小流速比有利于改善构件热应力状况。     

二维球流运动摩擦系数影响的数值模拟

为研究摩擦系数对球流运动的影响,参照二维堆芯球流运动实验台架,采用离散单元法对球流运动进行了数值模拟,并对从标记点产生的球流区域的均值流线、标准方差和平均停留时间等进行了比较和分析。结果表明：球的摩擦系数对球流流场影响不大;球的摩擦系数越大,水平方向扩散越小,流动越均匀;壁面摩擦系数对水平方向扩散影响不大;壁面摩擦系数越大,流动越不均匀。     

The design and utilization of a high-temperature helium loop and other facilities for the study of advanced gas-cooled reactors in the Czech Republic

This paper focuses on the research infrastructure of advanced gas cooled reactors in the Czech Republic, particularly on the high-temperature helium loop HTHL, which is a unique facility of its kind. HTHL is intended mainly for testing structural materials. It also can be used to research technologies relating to helium coolant. The maximum temperature and pressure that can be used within the specimen testing space are 900 °C and 7 MPa, respectively, and the maximum gas flow rate in the main loop is 38 kg/hr. Originally, the equipment was envisaged as a device for corrosion tests of materials in the reactor LVR-15 but, according to current plans, a different equipment will be built for this purpose within the frame of the SUSEN project. At the same time, an additional helium loop (S-Allegro) will be built to test selected components of advanced gas-cooled reactors.     

球床模块堆停堆后自然对流传热特性数值研究

对冷却流体在球床模块堆内燃料颗粒填充区域中的流动和传热过程进行了研究.数值模拟突然停堆后燃料颗粒区在温差作用下的自然对流过程,分析了瑞利数Ra对燃料填充区域内流场、温度场和局部努塞尔数Nu以及壁面摩擦阻力系数的影响.计算结果表明:当球床模块堆突然停堆时燃料填充区域可形成加热壁面流体上升流动、冷却壁面下降流动的自然循环流动;随着Ra数增大,回流中心向上移动;沿轴向壁面局部Nusselt数和摩擦阻力系数存在极值,并且极值点随Ra数增大而向上移动;与氮气相比,氦气作为冷却介质停堆后具有更均匀的堆芯轴向温度分布.     

ITER中国氦冷固体实验包层模块温度场和氦气流场三维数值分析

采用通用计算流体力学软件Fluent对应用于国际热核实验堆(ITER)的实验包层模块(TBM)的第一壁Be、Be球床中子增殖区、Li4SiO4陶瓷球床氚增殖区、以及结构材料的温度场和氦气流道内流场进行了三维数值模拟,研究了TBM的温度场及冷却管道内的氦气流场的分布.结果表明,除极小区域外,材料的温度在该材料所允许的工作范围之内;氦气表现出很好的流动和换热特性.     

高温堆热气联箱内部流场分析

以高温堆热气联箱为研究对象,在实验研究的基础上,采用流体力学计算程序CFX5对热气联箱和热气导管内部流场进行了数值模拟,以获得热气联箱和热气导管内的速度场、压力场和温度场,为高温堆热气联箱的设计和实验研究提供参考.数值计算结果表明:热气联箱内气流发生剧烈搅混,加速了不同温度气流间的热传递,有利于高温和低温气流间的温度混合.但存在肋片的区域没有发生剧烈的气流搅混,不利于气流间的热传递.热气导管内温度混合率随其长度的增加逐渐增大,热气导管长度2.5m以上时,温度混合率达到99%以上.     

Numerical model for separation of H-D gas mixture in batch-type concentric-tube thermal diffusion columns

The modeling simulation for the separation of H-D gas mixture in batch-type concentric-tube thermal diffusion columns have been analyzed from the transport equation coupled with the application of mass balance. The most important assumption is that the concentrations of H₂, HD and D₂ are locally equilibrium at every points in the column as H₂ + D₂ ↔ 2HD. The concentration distribution equation was derived and the concentration difference between the bottom and top ends of the column could be estimated. The degree of separation and separation factor for recovery of deuterium from H-D gas mixture in the batch-type cryogenic-wall thermal diffusion column were estimated.     

Numerical investigation of liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic flow in multilayer flow channel inserts

In the high temperature liquid metal blanket of fusion-based hydrogen production reactor (named FDS-III), there is a remarkable feature that the multilayer flow channel inserts (MFCI) as function component are put into the breeding zone. The low thermal conductivity of MFCI can prevent the internal PbLi's heat conduct to the outside. So the outlet temperature can achieve high temperature around 1000 °C for high efficient production of hydrogen. However, the flow of liquid metal meandering through the MFCI will cause complex magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect under the strong fusion magnetic field. Liquid metal MHD effect is a key issue which should be concerned in high temperature breeder blanket (HTL). In this work, a numerical study was carried out to investigate the MHD effect of liquid metal PbLi in the MFCI. The MHD flows with typical modified geometry of the HTL MFCI were considered. The characteristics of flow and induced current fields were analyzed, and the pressure drop was evaluated. It also can be seen that the conductivity of the MFCI will have great impact on liquid metal flow's current and velocity distributions.