Nonlinear dynamic analysis of high energy line pipe whip

This paper describes a nonlinear dynamic analysis of TVA high energy line pipe whip tests using the ABAQUS-EPGEN code. The analysis considers the effects of large deformation and strain rate on resisting moment and energy absorption capability. The numerical results of impact forces, impact velocities, pipe strains, and reaction forces at pipe supports are compared to the TVA test data. The calculated pipe whip impact time and forces are also compared with those predicted using current industry practice.The calculated pipe support reaction forces are found to be in good agreement with the TVA test data except for some peak values at the very beginning of the pipe break. These peaks are believed to be due to stress wave propagation which cannot be addressed by the ABAQUS code. Both elbow crushing and strain rate have been approximately simulated. The effects are found to be important for pipe whip impact evaluation.     

Experimental study on the blowdown load during the steam generator feedwater line break accident in the evolutionary pressurized water reactor

Integral effect tests using the ATLAS facility were performed to obtain the thermal-hydraulic parameters such as dynamic and static pressures, local temperatures, and flow rates during a feedwater line break of a steam generator. The break of a feedwater line was simulated using a double rupture disc assembly in order to satisfy the requirements for the break opening time of around a few milliseconds. In the present study, estimated break opening time was less than 1.5 ms and broken areas were 48.1% and 93.4% of the feedwater line, respectively. The maximum dynamic pressures of about 1.57 bar were obtained inside of feedwater box that was closest to the break location of the feedwater line. After the break of the feedwater line, propagation of the pressure wave along the distance from the break location inside the steam generator was clearly and pertinently observed in all the tests. From a structural integrity point of view, however, the risk induced by this maximum dynamic load could be treated to be insignificant.     

Cross-section modelling effects on pressurised water reactor main steam line break analyses

Because of the strong asymmetric overcooling effects occurring during a PWR main steam line break (MSLB) event, an accurate analysis of this transient requires the use of 3-D kinetics methods. An assessment has been made of the relative performance of the two kinetics solvers currently employed at PSI for such analyses, viz. CORETRAN and SIMULATE-3 K. For the purpose, the simulation of a hypothetical MSLB in a real operated PWR MOX cycle has been considered, employing consistent 3-D core models with specified thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions at the lower and upper plenums. Although the employed cross-section library is in both codes based on the same set of homogenised 2-group cross-sections prepared with CASMO-4, significant differences are shown to occur due to the smaller moderator reactivity coefficient calculated in CORETRAN. It is found that this stems largely from differences in the cross-section formalism, i.e. the manner in which feedback dependencies are modelled and interpolated for the cross-section sets.In particular, the CORETRAN cross-section formalism induces an inadequate treatment of coupled feedback effects, principally between boron density and moderator temperature, which renders the MSLB dynamics predictions quite sensitive to the methodology employed during the cross-section preparation. As such, transient-specific cross-section libraries need to be produced for reliable MSLB analysis in this case. The cross-section model for SIMULATE-3 K, on the other hand, is shown to be adequate for accurately capturing the coupled reactivity effects occurring during an MSLB. In this case, the sensitivity of the results to other sources of uncertainties becomes more apparent, e.g. to those related to the neutron data and/or the thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions. Considering that many other state-of-the-art advanced kinetics solvers have cross-section formalisms similar to that of CORETRAN, effects of the type currently investigated need to be taken into account while developing methodologies for assessing neutronics-related uncertainties in best-estimate transient analysis.     

Behaviour of a PWR vessel dissimilar metal weld during a steam line break transient

This paper presents the results of a Finite Element analysis conducted on the behaviour of a 15 mm deep fully circumferential crack on the outer surface of a bi-metallic weld of a 900 MWe Pressurized Water Reactor vessel, during a Steam Line Break transient. The typical weld considered connects the stainless-steel hot leg with the ferritic vessel.This work is part of a Benchmark exercise organised in the framework of an European Commission (DG Environment) project on Transition Welds. However, the results presented here concern only those obtained at Framatome using SYSTUS+ code and deal with the thermo-mechanical analysis, the evaluation of the crack driving energy (J-integral) and a discussion on crack stability. These results are compared with those obtained using a simplified method developed earlier and presented at one of the international conferences.     

Manitoba automated high energy microprobe

A high energy 40 MeV transmission proton microprobe has been designed and constructed at the Accelerator Centre in the Department of Physics at the University of Manitoba. The parameters and performance to date are presented and future applications of the facility are discussed.     

Improved high energy microbeam techniques

The University at Albany ion scanning microprobe has been used for many industrial applications in thin films. Of prime importance for rapid analysis, the beam should be set-up and in-use very shortly after the beam is turned on. Rapid optical and electronic tune-up methods are discussed. Standard 1–2 micron, 2 MeV helium or proton beams are generally used with RBS (Rutherford Backscattering) and PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) to obtain composition analysis in one- or two-dimensions. We demonstrate the use of 3-dimensional analysis in thin films, wherein film thickness is the third dimension.     

Assessment of passive safety system performance under gravity driven cooling system drain line break accident

A generation III+ Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) which relies on natural circulation has evolved from earlier BWR designs by incorporating passive safety features to improve safety and performance. Natural circulation allows the elimination of emergency injection pump and no operator action or alternating current (AC) power supply. The generation III+ BWR's passive safety systems include the Automatic Depressurization System (ADS), the Suppression Pool (SP), the Standby Liquid Control System (SLCS), the Gravity Driven Cooling System (GDCS), the Isolation Condenser System (ICS) and the Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS). The ADS is actuated to rapidly depressurize the reactor leading to the GDCS injection. The large amount of water in the SP condenses steam from the reactor. The SLCS provides makeup water to the reactor. The GDCS injects water into the reactor by gravity head and provides cooling to the core. The ICS and the PCCS are used to remove the decay heat from the reactor. The objective of this paper is to analyze the response of passive safety systems under the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA). A GDCS Drain Line Break (GDLB) test has been conducted in the Purdue University Multi-Dimensional Integral Test Assembly (PUMA) which is scaled to represent the generation III+ BWR. The main results of PUMA GDLB test were that the reactor coolant level was well above the Top of Active Fuel (TAF) and the reactor containment pressure has remained below the design pressure. In particular, the containment maximum pressure (266 kPa) was 36% lower than the safety limit (414 kPa). The minimum collapsed water level (1.496 m) before the GDCS injection was 8% lower than the TAF (1.623 m) but it was ensured that two-phase water level was higher than the TAF with no core uncovery.     

Simulation of a low energy beam transport line

A 2.45 GHz electron cyclotron resonance intense proton source and a low energy beam transport line with dual-Glaser lens were designed and fabricated by Institute of Modern Physics for a compact pulsed hadron source at Tsinghua. The intense proton beams extracted from the ion source are transported through the transport line to match the downstream radio frequency quadrupole accelerator. Particle-in-cell code BEAMPATH was used to carry out the beam transport simulations and optimize the magnetic field structures of the transport line. Emittance growth due to space charge and spherical aberrations of the Glaser lens were studied in both theory and simulation. The results show that narrow beam has smaller aberrations and better beam quality through the transport line. To better match the radio frequency quadrupole accelerator, a shorter transport line is desired with sufficient space charge neutralization.     

RELAP5 simulation of surge line break accident using combined and best estimate plus uncertainty approaches

Licensing calculations in a majority of countries worldwide still rely on the application of combined approach using best estimate computer code without evaluation of the code models uncertainty and conservative assumptions on initial and boundary, availability of systems and components and additional conservative assumptions. However best estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) approach representing the state-of-the-art in the area of safety analysis has a clear potential to replace currently used combined approach. There are several applications of BEPU approach in the area of licensing calculations, but some questions are discussed, namely from the regulatory point of view. In order to find a proper solution to these questions and to support the BEPU approach to become a standard approach for licensing calculations, a broad comparison of both approaches for various transients is necessary. Results of one of such comparisons on the example of the VVER-440/213 NPP pressurizer surge line break event are described in this paper. A Kv-scaled simulation based on PH4-SLB experiment from PMK-2 integral test facility applying its volume and power scaling factor is performed for qualitative assessment of the RELAP5 computer code calculation using the VVER-440/213 plant model. Existing hardware differences are identified and explained. The CIAU method is adopted for performing the uncertainty evaluation. Results using combined and BEPU approaches are in agreement with the experimental values in PMK-2 facility. Only minimal difference between combined and BEPU approached has been observed in the evaluation of the safety margins for the peak cladding temperature. Benefits of the CIAU uncertainty method are highlighted.     

Similarity study of large steam line break LOCA's in ROSA-III, FIST and BWR/6

Similarity of the thermal hydraulic phenomena in a 100% steam line break loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) between the Rig-of-Safety Assessment (ROSA)-III. Full-Integral Simulation Test (FIST) and a boiling water reactor (BWR)/6 system has been studied experimentally and analytically. The experimental results of ROSA-III (RUN952) and FIST (6MSB1) showed similar LOCA phenomena except for the core cooling. The core cooling was affected by the different ECCS actuation logics used in the tests. The effects of the different test conditions and the system-inherent features on the LOCA phenomena were separately evaluated through the post-test and similarity analysis of the ROSA-III and FIST tests by using RELAP5/MOD1 code with a jet pump model. The similarity of the major events in the ROSA-III and FIST facilities to those of BWR/6 system were confirmed assuming the same ECCS actuation logic and the same sealed initial mass inventory among the three systems. Differences in vessel geometries, metal stored heat and core power curves caused slight differences in the responses of pressure and fuel surface temperatures.     

Acoustics impact on steam dryer induced by main steam line break in a boiling water reactor

In boiling water reactor (BWR) design, significant acoustic pressure loads impact the steam dryer hood as a result of the main steam line break outside containment (MSLB) event. When a main steam line breaks, it is assumed that the pipe instantaneously breaks completely open to the ambient environment (double-ended guillotine break). Due to the huge pressure difference between the inside of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and surrounding ambient environment, a shock wave will form at the break point and burst into the surrounding environment. At the same time, an expansion wave will travel upstream through the main steam line to the RPV, which results in a pressure reduction on the outside of the steam dryer hood. This expansion wave will create a substantial pressure difference between the two sides of the steam dryer hood with a resultant high stress on the hood. This differential pressure load is the acoustic load used in the structure design evaluations for this event. A key design basis requirement for the steam dryer is to maintain structural integrity during transient, and accident conditions. Demonstration that the steam dryers meet this design basis requires a calculation of the magnitude of the acoustic load on the steam dryer during a MSLB. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used as an alternate calculation method to investigate the phenomenon of MSLB. Transient simulations with fine time steps were carried out. The results show that CFD is a useful tool to provide additional information on the acoustic load as compared to the traditional methods. From the CFD results, the minimum pressure value and its distribution area at different flow times was identified. Through the modeling, an understanding of the detailed transient flow field, particularly the acoustic pressure field near the dryer hood during the MSLB was achieved.     

The new Cyclone 18/9 beam transport line at the CNA (Sevilla) for high energy PIXE applications

The Cyclone 18/9 cyclotron system at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (Sevilla, Spain) is commonly used to create short life radioisotopes for PET applications. Besides, an external beam transport line has been recently installed in one of the target ports with two major purposes: to study the effects of 18 MeV protons irradiation on the behaviour of electronic devices for space applications and to complement the analysis of materials using our 3 MV tandem accelerator with the PIXE measurements at high energy.In this work, the main elements of our beamline will be briefly described and the first PIXE application will be presented. The usual PIXE, in the analysis of archaeological metallic objects, using around 3 MeV protons requires having a shiny area. Our purpose is to obtain a deeper determination of the bulk composition bombarding with 18 MeV protons through the corroded samples surfaces, without polishing the ancient object. To check this methodology high energy PIXE has been performed on two fibulae of the Later Bronze Age and First Iron Age, coming from the area around Sevilla.     

Neutron and photon doses in high energy radiotherapy facilities and evaluation of shielding performance by Monte Carlo method

Medical accelerators operating above 10 MV are a source of undesirable neutron radiations which contaminate the therapeutic photon beam. These photoneutrons can also generate secondary gamma rays which increases undesirable dose to the patient body and to personnel and general public. In this study, the Monte Carlo N-Particle MCNP5 code has been used to model the radiotherapy room of a medical linear accelerator operating at 18 MV and to calculate the neutron and the secondary gamma ray energy spectra and the dose equivalents at various points inside the treatment room and along the maze. To validate our Monte Carlo simulation we compared our results with those evaluated by the recommended analytical methods of IAEA Report No. 47, and with experimental and simulated values published in the literature. After validation, the Monte Carlo simulation has been used to evaluate the shielding performance of the radiotherapy room. The obtained results showed that the use of paraffin wax containing boron carbide, in the lining of the radiotherapy room walls, presents enough effectiveness to reduce both neutron and gamma ray doses inside the treatment room and at the maze entrance. Such evaluation cannot be performed by the analytical methods since room material and wall surface lining are not taken into consideration.     

Scaling methodology for a reduced-height reduced-pressure integral test facility to investigate direct vessel injection line break SBLOCA

A scaling methodology for a small-scale integral test facility was investigated in order to analyze thermal-hydraulic phenomena during a DVI (direct vessel injection) line SBLOCA (small break loss-of-coolant accident) in an APR1400 (advanced power reactor 1400 MWe) pressurized water reactor. The test facility SNUF (Seoul National University Facility) was utilized as a reduced-height and reduced-pressure integral test loop. To determine suitable test conditions for simulating the prototype in the SNUF experiment, the energy scaling methodology was propose to scale the coolant mass inventory and the thermal power for a reduced-pressure condition. The energy scaling methodology was validated with a system code (MARS) analysis for an ideally scaled-down SNUF model and that predicted a reasonable transient of pressure and coolant inventory when compared to the prototype model. For the actually constructed SNUF, the effect of scaling distortions in the test facility's thermal power and the loop geometry was analytically investigated. To overcome the limitation of the thermal power supply in the facility, the convective heat transfer between primary and secondary systems at the steam generator U-tubes was excluded and a modified power curve was applied for simulating the core decay heat. From the code analysis results for the actual SNUF model, the application of the modified power curve did not affect the major events occurring during the transient condition. The results revealed that the scaling distortion in the actual SNUF geometry also did not strongly disturb significant thermal-hydraulic phenomena such as the downcomer seal clearing. Thus, with an adoption of the energy scaling methodology, the thermal-hydraulic phenomena observed in the SNUF experiment can be properly utilized in a safety analysis for a DVI line break SBLOCA in the APR1400.     

The scientific value of high energy physics

In this paper I will discuss two aspects of the role of accelerators in the development of modern physical science: first, the increasing prominence of high energy/elementary particle physics in the past two decades, relative to other areas of physics, with suggestions about how the significance and cost of discoveries in different areas of science might be estimated; second, the justification of substantial funding for this kind of research on the grounds that it is ‘fundamental’ to science, with remarks on the change in judgements of fundamentality from a long-term historical perspective.     

Precipitate dissolution by high energy collision cascades

The evolution of the microstructure during irradiation is now widely recognized due to: (1) radiation altered kinetic phenomena; (2) collisional processes by energetic cascades. In this paper, we investigate the specific nature of the collisional interaction between energetic cascades and precipitates. A new Monte Carlo-based computer program, TRIPOS, has been developed for the TRansport of Ions in POlyatomic Solids. The computer code utilizes standard nuclear and electronic energy loss formulas, and compares well with experimental data on particle reflection, penetration and sputtering. One of the unique features of the code is its applicability to problems involving multispecie media in multilayers of 3-dimensional configurations. The interaction of neutron-initiated high energy collision cascades is demonstrated to result in the partial dissolution of precipitates. However, the maximum precipitate size that may be completely destroyed by a high energy collision cascade is only a small fraction of the cascade size. Matrix atom implantation inside precipitates as well as preferential sputtering of light atoms from the surface of precipitates into the matrix is demonstrated to lead to changes in precipitate stoichiometry.     

Insight into the remaining high surface energy of atmospheric DBD plasma-treated polyethylene web after three months' aging

In this paper, we report the modification of polyethylene(45 μm in thickness) webs through a roll-to-roll dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatment in an open atmospheric environment.Our work differs from the normal adopted corona discharge treatment at an atmospheric pressure, in that three monomers: allylamine, acrylic acid, and ethanol, are inlet into the discharge zone by argon(Ar) carrier gas. As a comparison, Ar plasma treatment is also carried out. We focus on the aging properties of treated plastics in the open air. It is found that the modified webs can retain the surface energy as high as 50.0?±?1 mN m~(-1) for more than three months. After characterization of the as-prepared and aged samples by the surface roughness, the wettability, and the chemical structure, the mechanism of retaining high surface energy is then presumed. We think that the initial high surface energy just after plasma treatment is correlated to the grafted functional groups, while the over 50.0 mN m~(-1) remaining surface energy after three month aging is due to the stable concentrations of oxygen-contained and nitrogencontained groups by post-reaction on the surfaces.     

Disassembly energy release for mechanical damage evaluation

Techniques available for determining the energy release from prompt critical excursions in fast reactors are discussed. This includes models used to develop the pressure source-terms needed to analyze the structural response of the system. Methods for characterizing the work-potential available from energetic excursions are reviewed. Areas where advanced models would be most beneficial are also discussed.     

An integral loop test and MARS code analysis for a DVI line break LOCA in the APR1400

The transient thermal-hydraulic phenomena of a DVI (Direct Vessel Injection) line break LOCA (Loss-of-Coolant Accident) in pressurized water reactor, APR1400, were investigated. In order to understand the phenomena during the LOCA transient, a reduced-height and reduced-pressure integral loop test facility, the SNUF (Seoul National University Facility), was constructed with scaling down the prototype. For the appropriate test conditions in the experiment with the SNUF, the energy scaling method was suggested with scaling the coolant mass inventory and the thermal power for the reduced-pressure condition. According to the conditions determined by the method, the experimental study was performed with the SNUF. The experimental results showed that the phenomenon of the downcomer seal clearing played a dominant role in the reduction of the system pressure and the recovery of the coolant level in the core. That phenomenon occurred when the steam incoming from cold legs penetrates the coolant in the upper downcomer toward the broken DVI line. The experimental results were compared with the prototype analysis to estimate the energy scaling method, so that the experiment reasonably simulated the phenomena in the prototype. For the analytical investigation, the experiment was simulated with MARS code to validate the calculation capability of the code, especially for the downcomer seal clearing, which showed good agreement with the results of experiment.     

高LET重离子照射人肿瘤细胞的DNA双链断裂及修复研究

依托兰州近代物理研究所的HIRFL装置对人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721进行高LET的重离子辐照,同时利用脉冲场凝胶电泳研究高LET辐射引起的细胞DSB及其修复的特点.对于不同离子的辐射进行了比较分析,探索重离子的辐射生物学效应机理.结果发现,随着剂量的增加,初始DSB在给定剂量范围内呈线性增长,LET较高的氩离子的剂量效应曲线具有较大的斜率.对于DSB分布情况的研究发现,LET不同,大小片段的分布随着剂量的变化呈现不同的变化情况.修复研究显示两种LET辐射的快修复在30 min左右都已经结束,此后都开始了慢修复,对于高LET的氩离子辐射来说,快修复和慢修复完成的修复量均高于较低LET的碳离子辐射.4 h时,两种辐射残余的DSB基本一致.结果证明了高LET辐射下初始DSB与剂量的线性依赖关系,且发现不同种类的离子辐射引起的DSB的剂量效应曲线的斜率不同.结果也显示了DSB的非随机分布现象和DSB修复的双阶段模式,发现LET、离子种类和剂量对于DSB的片段非随机分布同时存在影响,同时修复结果提示慢修复机制和错修复在高LET辐射引起损伤的修复研究中可能具有重要意义.