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.     

高温气冷堆氦气透平直接循环启动参数分析计算

开发了包括堆芯、蒸汽发生器、透平、压气机及换热器等模块在内的高温气冷堆氦气透平直接循环系统的稳态计算程序。对系统的启动过程进行了模拟分析,并对压气机的喘振问题进行了分析,考虑了换热能力、温度和压力的影响。结果表明：在变负荷过程中压气机有足够的安全裕度。     

氦回路用风机的特点及与堆用主风机的比较

由于采用了平衡结构、气动轴承，置入式电机，抽气冷却和交直流机组调速等手段，清华大学核研院高压氦气试验回路的二级涡轮式氦气循环风机具有轴向推力小、无油、无动密封、不引入其它介质和调速方便等特点。本文还将这些特点和高温气冷堆－加路氦气风机的技术要求作用比较。     

辐照条件下高温锂热管不凝性气体产生特性研究

在新型热管冷却反应堆中,高温金属热管会受到持续的中子辐照。锂在热中子区的中子反应微观截面很大,会产生一定量的氦气,氦气作为不凝性气体将影响高温热管的正常运行。本文分析了堆内中子辐照条件对高温锂金属热管中不凝性气体产生特性的影响。首先对稳态标准算例进行了产氦量分析,并转换得到了不凝性气体体积份额。此外,得到了不凝性气体产量随热管充液量、金属锂富集度、中子通量密度、热管工作温度等因素的变化关系。不凝性气体产量随热管充液量、锂富集度的增大而增加。控制转鼓位于不同角度时,中子通量密度改变有限,对产氦量影响不大,由于高温锂热管工作温度很高,高温下中子反应微观截面差距很小,因此热管工作温度对产氦量影响也有限。本研究可为热管冷却反应堆内高温锂热管中锂富集度设计提供借鉴。     

Evaluation of Hot Spot Factors for Thermal and Hydraulic Design of HTTR

Abstract

High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) is a graphite-moderated and helium gas-cooled reactor with 30 MW in thermal power and 950°C in reactor outlet coolant temperature. One of the major items in thermal and hydraulic design of the HTTR is to evaluate the maximum fuel temperature with a sufficient margin from a viewpoint of integrity of coated fuel particles. Hot spot factors are considered in the thermal and hydraulic design to evaluate the fuel temperature not only under the normal operation condition but also under any transient condition conservatively. This report summarizes the items of hot spot factors selected in the thermal and hydraulic design and their estimated values, and also presents evaluation results of the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of the HTTR briefly.     

Thermal–hydraulic and thermo-structural analysis of first wall for Indian DEMO blanket module

The first wall (FW) is one of the most important components of any fusion blanket design. India has developed two concepts of breeding blanket for the DEMO reactor: the first one is Lead–Lithium cooled Ceramic Breeder (LLCB), and the second one is Helium-Cooled Ceramic Breeder (HCCB) concept. Both the concept has the same kind of FW structure. Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic steel (RAFMS) used as the structural material and helium (He) gas is used to actively cool the FW structure. Beryllium (Be) layer of 2 mm is coated on the plasma side of the FW as the plasma facing material. Cooling channels running in radial–toroidal–radial direction in the RAFMS structure are designed to withstand the maximum He pressure of 8 MPa. Heat transfer coefficients (HTC) obtained form the correlations revealed that required cooling could be achieved by artificially roughened surface towards the plasma-side wall of He cooling channel which helps to keep the RAFMS temperatures below the allowable limit. A 1D analytical and 2D thermal–hydraulic simulation studies using ANSYS has been performed based on the heat load obtained from neutronics calculations to confirm the heat removal and structural integrity under various conditions including ITER transient events. The required helium flow through the cooling channels are evaluated and used to optimize the suitable header design. The detail design of FW thermal–hydraulics, thermo-structural analyses, and He flow distribution network will be presented in this paper.     

A system analysis tool with a 2D gas turbine modeling for the load transients of HTGRS

This paper presents the operational performance and transient response of a high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) with an emphasis on the gas turbine through a two-dimensional approach. For its operational and transient simulation we use a GAMMA-T in which the system code, GAMMA, is coupled with the two-dimensional turbomachinery model. We also implement several models into the GAMMA-T: the reactor kinetics model, the bypass valve model, and the models of the core, the heat exchangers, the gas turbine, and the piping. The estimations of compressor and turbine performances are based on a two-dimensional axisymmetric throughflow method that is capable of predicting both the transient and steady-state behavior of the power conversion system (PCS). To demonstrate the code capability, we investigated the two representative transients of GTHTR300, which is a 600 MW direct cycle helium cooled reactor consisting of a prismatic block type core, a horizontal single-shaft configuration of turbomachinery, a recuperator, and a precooler: a loss of heat rejection transient corresponding to the failure of the precooler water supply, and a 30% load reduction transient from nominal operation with bypass control. The simulation results demonstrated the controllability and operational stability for the plant.     

Analysis of different containment models for IRIS small break LOCA, using GOTHIC and RELAP5 codes

Advanced nuclear water reactors rely on containment behaviour in realization of some of their passive safety functions. Steam condensation on containment walls, where non-condensable gas effects are significant, is an important feature of the new passive containment concepts, like the AP600/1000 ones.In this work the international reactor innovative and secure (IRIS) was taken as reference, and the relevant condensation phenomena involved within its containment were investigated with different computational tools. In particular, IRIS containment response to a small break LOCA (SBLOCA) was calculated with GOTHIC and RELAP5 codes. A simplified model of IRIS containment drywell was implemented with RELAP5 according to a sliced approach, based on the two-pipe-with-junction concept, while it was addressed with GOTHIC using several modelling options, regarding both heat transfer correlations and volume and thermal structure nodalization. The influence on containment behaviour prediction was investigated in terms of drywell temperature and pressure response, heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and steam volume fraction distribution, and internal recirculating mass flow rate. The objective of the paper is to preliminarily compare the capability of the two codes in modelling of the same postulated accident, thus to check the results obtained with RELAP5, when applied in a situation not covered by its validation matrix (comprising SBLOCA and to some extent LBLOCA transients, but not explicitly the modelling of large dry containment volumes).The option to include or not droplets in fluid mass flow discharged to the containment was the most influencing parameter for GOTHIC simulations. Despite some drawbacks, due, e.g. to a marked overestimation of internal natural recirculation, RELAP5 confirmed its capability to satisfactorily model the basic processes in IRIS containment following SBLOCA.     

10MW高温气冷堆一回路氦气品质研究

10MW高温气冷堆以氦气作为冷却剂,氦气中含有H2O、CO2、H2、CO、CH4、N2、O2等7种影响氦气品质的杂质。分析反应堆在不同工况下的氦气品质数据的变化规律,可证明一回路氦气在反应堆功率运行过程中经氦气净化系统净化后,氦气品质能够满足技术规格书要求。但随一回路氦气平均温度的升高,氦气品质呈下降趋势,并可初步判断存在缓慢变化的杂质源项为水。     

Core Safety Characteristics of High Flux Safe Reactor (HFSR)

Abstract

Transient analyses are performed for graphite moderated helium-cooled high flux reactor to obtain the high flux safe reactor design. In order to promote the safety of the high flux reactor, the present design adopts the pebble bed reactor and its fuel technology. In the transient analyses, among the postulated off-normal events and accidents, the reactivity accident followed by a loss of helium forced circulation with system depressurization is found to be the severest potential event which may threaten the reactor safety from fission products release point of view. Several neutronic and thermal-hydraulic design parameters are indicated and exploited to promote the reactor safety. Neutronic and core thermal-hydralic models are proposed and used to simulate the reactor responses to the off-normal events and accidents. As the results of the transient analyses and accident simulation, safe and optimal design parameters are obtained which provide high thermal neutron flux with a desirable spectrum and large usable volume constrained by safety limitations.     

基于RELAP5的氦氙流动换热计算模块开发与验证

反应堆热工系统分析程序是开展热工水力计算与安全评价的重要工具。为开发适用于氦氙气冷空间堆的热工系统分析程序,本文在RELAP5/MOD40程序中拓展了氦氙混合气体（He Xe）物性计算模块,添加了适用于He Xe的传热关系式,将拓展后程序计算值与实验值进行对比。结果表明：程序默认的Sutherlands定律用于He Xe物性计算时将引入较大误差;Dittus Bolter公式对He Xe对流换热时的Nu预测偏高,将导致不保守的壁温计算结果。拓展后的程序对He Xe压降和换热计算结果均与实验值吻合较好,验证了程序开发的正确性以及程序用于He Xe流动换热计算的功能。本研究可为系统层面程序开发奠定基础。     

Thermal and hydraulic tests of test sections in the helium engineering demonstration loop

The helium engineering demonstration loop (HENDEL) has been constructed and operated to test the large-scale components of the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) under simulated reactor operating conditions. The fuel stack test section (T₁) of HENDEL simulates the fuel stack of the HTTR core and is used to investigate thermal and hydraulic performance. Hot tests with 1000°C helium gas have been conducted using simulated fuel rods having uniform, exponential and cosine axial heat flux distributions. The test results agreed with previously proposed correlations, although the simulated fuel rods had various heat flux distributions and high heat flux rates.

The in-core structure test section (T₂) also was installed in the HENDEL to verify the performance of the core bottom structure of the HTTR. The tests show that good performance was obtained. Examination of the thermal mixing characteristics indicated that mixing started at the location where the hot helium gas flowed into the hot plenum and that complete mixing was achieved during the downward flow in the outlet hot gas duct. The seal performance testing indicated no change of the leakage flow rate after 4000 hours of operation. The temperature of the metal portion of the structure was below 500°C and uniform around circumferential cross-sections due to the good performance of the thermal insulation blocks.     

高温气冷堆螺旋管式直流蒸汽发生器热工水力学

高温气冷堆蒸汽发生器具有一次侧氦气工质、二次侧直流、螺旋管结构、工作温度高等特点,其热工水力特性与传统压水堆自然循环蒸汽发生器存在很大区别。针对高温气冷堆蒸汽发生器的特点,对其基础热工水力及特有热工水力学问题进行了阐述,主要包括螺旋管内单相及两相流阻及换热计算、横掠螺旋管束流阻及换热计算、温度均匀性及两相流不稳定性等。同时介绍了清华大学核能与新能源技术研究院针对高温气冷堆蒸汽发生器热工设计、温度均匀性及两相流不稳定性等热工水力学问题所开发的一维稳态程序、一维瞬态程序、二维分析程序和方法,并对分析结果和结论进行了讨论。相关研究方法、程序和结论对其他相似参数螺旋管和直管式直流蒸汽发生器具有参考和借鉴意义。     

Off-design performance research of an axial helium compressor for HTGR-10 power conversion unit

Helium compressor is a determining part of the power conversion unit (PCU) which is used in high-temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR). A direct Helium Brayton cycle is applied to the PCU system for the power conversion. In order to optimize the compressor design, a performance test about helium compressor is given out to verify the CFD results. Also because of the strong relevancy between helium compressor and the other parts of the PCU system, it is quite important for designers to evaluate the performance of a helium compressor in different operational states. Tests have been carried out in different operating conditions and the compressor performance characteristics were obtained. Numerical simulation could help to further the understanding the details of compressor's flow channel and blades. Meanwhile, an economic method with air as the working fluid to perform the aerodynamic design and optimization of helium compressor is obtained. The experimental results showed that as long as the air flow conditions are correctly selected, the aerodynamic design of air compressor will be a valuable reference for the design of helium compressor.     

10 MW高温堆热气联箱气流混合模拟的相似律

１０ＭＷ高温气冷实验堆芯出口需设置热气联箱,以使氦气得到充分的热混合。使用两流体方程无量纳化分析方法导出相似准则,得到了热气联箱在缩小模型比例的系统上以常压小温差空气代替主压大温差氦气进行热工水力学模拟试验研究时应遵循的模拟准则,即几何准则、流动准则和传热准则。     

Validation of the CATHARE2 code against experimental data from Brayton-cycle plants

In recent years the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA) has commissioned a wide range of feasibility studies of future-advanced nuclear reactors, in particular gas-cooled reactors (GCR). The thermohydraulic behaviour of these systems is a key issue for, among other things, the design of the core, the assessment of thermal stresses, and the design of decay heat removal systems. These studies therefore require efficient and reliable simulation tools capable of modelling the whole reactor, including the core, the core vessel, piping, heat exchangers and turbo-machinery. CATHARE2 is a thermal-hydraulic 1D reference safety code developed and extensively validated for the French pressurized water reactors. It has been recently adapted to deal also with gas-cooled reactor applications. In order to validate CATHARE2 for these new applications, CEA has initiated an ambitious long-term experimental program. The foreseen experimental facilities range from small-scale loops for physical correlations, to component technology and system demonstration loops.In the short-term perspective, CATHARE2 is being validated against existing experimental data. And in particular from the German power plants Oberhausen I and II. These facilities have both been operated by the German utility Energie Versorgung Oberhausen (E.V.O.) and their power conversion systems resemble to the high-temperature reactor concepts: Oberhausen I is a 13.75-MWe Brayton-cycle air turbine plant, and Oberhausen II is a 50-MWe Brayton-cycle helium turbine plant. The paper presents these two plants, the adopted CATHARE2 modelling and a comparison between experimental data and code results for both steady state and transient cases.     

基于SAC-3D系统软件的FFTF未能紧急停堆失流实验的数值模拟

本文利用系统分析软件SAC-3D对美国快通量试验堆（FFTF）堆芯及一回路进行了建模,并根据国际原子能机构（IAEA）提供的FFTF未能紧急停堆的失流实验的边界条件数据进行了事故瞬态仿真计算。计算得到堆芯热工水力及中子物理关键参数,仿真结果与实验测量数据符合较好。对比结果验证了SAC 3D在模拟液态金属冷却快堆事故工况中的有效性与准确性,也证明了FFTF堆型具有可靠的非能动安全性。     

钍基液态燃料熔盐实验堆氙毒分析

熔盐堆作为第四代核能系统堆型之一,液态燃料形态的特点使其可以实现在线处理和在线添料。为了提高中子经济性可以利用在线处理的氦鼓泡法,将氦气通入反应堆一回路,去除堆芯内的裂变气体(如Xe、Kr)。基于钍基熔盐液态堆(Thorium Molten Salt Reactor-Liquid Fuel1,TMSR-LF1)概念设计,结合熔盐实验堆(Molten Salt Reactor Experiment,MSRE)氙毒模型,分析了鼓泡法去除氙毒中~(135)Xe扩散规律和去除效率对氙毒的影响,并给出了对应的初始有效增殖因子的变化规律。分析结果表明,虽然存在~(135)Xe会大量向石墨扩散的可能性,但是鼓泡法仍然可以有效去除TMSR-LF1堆芯内的~(135)Xe,减小堆芯毒性,提高反应性。     

HTR-10蒸汽发生器的建模及分析

为开发适用于球床模块式高温气冷堆HTR-10的模拟机,采用一体化仿真支撑平台vPower建立了蒸汽发生器的实时热工水力模型。模型以传热方程为基础求解两侧工质及金属管壁的温度和焓,以流体网络为基础求解两侧工质的压力和流量。本文讨论了3种节点划分方案,针对不同节点划分方案的适用范围提出了建议并采用96节点划分方案进行后续研究。此外,通过分析确认了模型在稳态工况下主要参数和分布参数的准确性和合理性,并在100%功率稳态工况的基础上模拟了氦气侧流量阶跃的场景,分析了模型中主要参数的变化过程。动态仿真结果表明,氦气流量阶跃会引起一、二次侧参数不同程度的变化,变化幅度与阶跃程度呈正比,且金属管壁和水侧热容、二次侧参数变化速率相对缓慢,模型再平衡时间较短,表明HTR-10采用的螺旋管式直流蒸汽发生器的热惯性相对较小。