小型自然循环铅冷快堆超功率失热阱并发瞬态分析

基于100 MW级小型自然循环铅冷快堆(SNCLFR-100)建立一回路冷却系统模型,利用RELAP5程序进行初始稳态运行验证。对有/无保护超功率失热阱并发、有保护超功率失热阱并发事故进行瞬态安全分析。结果显示:在有保护超功率失热阱并发事故过程中,停堆保护作用使反应堆处于安全状态;而对于无保护情况,由于反应性负反馈作用,500 s内反应堆实现自动停堆,冷却剂、包壳及燃料芯块温度均低于安全限值。瞬态模拟验证了该新型反应堆良好的自然循环特性与固有安全性。     

自然循环铅铋冷却快堆失热阱瞬态研究

为考察自然循环铅铋冷却快堆的自然循环与固有安全特性,利用基于中子学与热工水力学耦合方法的安全分析程序NTC-2D,对10 MW自然循环铅铋冷却快堆的无保护失热阱(ULOHS)和有保护失热阱(PLOHS)工况分别进行了模拟与分析。结果表明,对于ULOHS,冷却剂、包壳及燃料芯块温度均远低于安全限值,并且由于反应性温度负反馈,反应堆自动停堆;对于PLOHS,事故后600s内,停堆保护系统的投入使反应堆处于安全状态。瞬态模拟表明该反应堆具有良好的自然循环与固有安全特性。     

球床模块式高温气冷堆失冷事故特性研究

利用高温气冷堆专用系统分析软件THERMIX程序,对球床模块式高温气冷堆(HTR-PM)失冷失压和失冷不失压事故的动态特性进行了研究,分析了堆芯功率、燃料最高温度及堆舱水冷壁余热载出功率等关键参数的变化过程,并对影响余热排出功率和燃料最高温度的不确定性进行了评价.研究结果表明,在失冷事故下,堆芯余热可通过热传导、辐射和自然对流等非能动方式传至最终热阱大气,燃料元件和压力容器等重要部件的最高温度均在设计限值内.这为HTR-PM保持模块式高温气冷堆固有安全性不变的同时实现单堆250 MW的功率方案奠定了基础,也为后续高温气冷堆电站示范工程进一步的深入设计研究提供了依据.     

球床氟盐冷却高温堆堆芯热工水力模拟

本文对球床氟盐冷却高温堆堆芯热工流体现象进行了研究。采用计算流体动力学(CFD)方法进行了三维建模和计算,得到了燃料元件球表面温度分布和堆芯冷却剂速度场、温度场和压力的分布,验证了稳态工况下氟盐对堆芯的冷却能力,分析了氟盐的特殊热工流体力学性质对堆芯安全的影响,结果可用于球床氟盐冷却高温堆的初步设计。     

热管冷却双模式空间堆堆芯瞬态安全特性分析

为研究热管冷却双模式空间堆(HP-BSNR)概念设计的可行性和推进模式下堆芯瞬态安全特性,本文基于堆芯结构和稳态程序计算的初始参数分布,建立了堆芯数学物理模型,并开发了适用于HP-BSNR的瞬态安全分析程序TTHA_HPBSNR,计算了HP-BSNR在推进模式下反应性引入和堆芯失流等不同瞬态事故工况下的安全特性,同时分析了反应堆关键参数对HP-BSNR堆芯瞬态安全特性的影响。结果表明,由于堆芯固有负反馈机制的作用,发生反应性引入事故时,堆芯功率最终达到一新的稳定值,且燃料最高温度并未超出安全限值。而发生失流事故时,反应堆能实现自动停堆,且负反馈系数的大小决定了自动停堆的响应时间。相较于反应性引入事故,失流事故对HP-BSNR的安全运行威胁更大。     

超长寿命小型自然循环铅铋快堆堆芯概念设计研究

以提高铅铋快堆的经济性与固有安全性为目标,开展100 MWt超长寿命小型自然循环铅铋快堆SPALLER-100概念设计,在选用PuN-ThN燃料和²⁰⁸Pb-Bi冷却剂的基础上,提出了一种添加固体慢化剂BeO的燃料组件设计方案,开展了堆芯布置研究和控制棒系统设计,分析了堆芯物理特性与稳态自然循环特性。结果表明：在低燃料装载量和小堆芯体积条件下,SPALLER-100堆芯换料周期达32 a,平均卸料燃耗高达210.38 MW·d/kg(HM),整个寿期内的反应性系数均为负值。稳态运行工况下燃料包壳、芯块最大温度均小于安全限值,反应堆具备一回路自然循环能力和一定流量自动分配能力。     

超长寿命小型自然循环铅铋快堆堆芯概念设计研究

以提高铅铋快堆的经济性与固有安全性为目标,开展100 MWt超长寿命小型自然循环铅铋快堆SPALLER-100概念设计,在选用PuN-ThN燃料和~(208)Pb-Bi冷却剂的基础上,提出了一种添加固体慢化剂BeO的燃料组件设计方案,开展了堆芯布置研究和控制棒系统设计,分析了堆芯物理特性与稳态自然循环特性。结果表明:在低燃料装载量和小堆芯体积条件下,SPALLER-100堆芯换料周期达32 a,平均卸料燃耗高达210.38 MW·d/kg(HM),整个寿期内的反应性系数均为负值。稳态运行工况下燃料包壳、芯块最大温度均小于安全限值,反应堆具备一回路自然循环能力和一定流量自动分配能力。     

一种低温堆核电站的动态数学模型

针对研发的采用一体化布置、全功率自然循环的低温核反应堆电站,建立了一个可用于大功率运行范围控制系统仿真的动态数学模型.模型采用了六组缓发中子动态方程(考虑了慢化剂温度和燃料温度反应性负反馈)、集中参数的堆芯传热模型以及自然循环流动模型,重点考虑了主回路自然循环对堆芯内冷却剂和燃料棒之间的传热系数、主换热器换热系数、主回路时间常数的影响.仿真结果表明,模型能够正确反映低温堆核电站的主要动态特性,可用于电站控制系统仿真.     

重水堆停堆工况下单相自然循环热阱有效性分析

对重水堆核电厂停堆冷却剂丧失强迫循环后,单相自然循环热阱的有效性进行了计算分析。通过分析发现,每环路内一台或两台蒸汽发生器可用时,主热传输系统都可以建立稳定的自然循环,排出堆芯热量。一台蒸汽发生器可用时,两燃料通道内包壳由于冷却条件的不同有温差存在。在同一堆芯衰变功率水平下,主系统内自然循环流量受环路内可用蒸汽发生器数量影响较小。     

小型铅铋冷却快堆瞬态安全分析

本文基于多通道热工模型与功率计算模型,在快堆分析程序SARAX的基础上开发了可用于分析小型铅铋冷却快堆在无保护超功率事故、无保护失流事故及无保护失热阱事故发生时瞬态安全特性的计算功能,并利用该程序计算了在不同事故情况下,堆芯反应性、功率以及热工参数随时间的变化,分析评价了堆芯的中子学和热工水力学性能。结果表明所设计的堆芯在发生事故时具有固有安全特性。     

先进堆非能动余热排出系统应对全厂断电事故的能力分析

采用RELAP5/MOD程序对先进堆全厂断电事故进行分析计算,论证非能动余热排出系统对事故的缓解能力.分析表明,先进堆在发生全厂断电事故后,完全能够依靠非能动余热排出系统导出堆芯余热,保证反应堆的安全;先进堆非能动余热排出系统的设计总体上是成功的.     

Full-scale modelling of the MNSR reactor to simulate normal operation, transients and reactivity insertion accidents under natural circulation conditions using the thermal hydraulic code ATHLET

A full-scale ATHLET system model for the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) has been developed. The model represents all reactor components of primary and secondary loops with the corresponding neutronics and thermal hydraulic characteristics. Under the MNSR operation conditions of natural circulation, normal operation, step reactivity transients and reactivity insertion accidents have been simulated. The analyses indicate the capability of ATHLET to simulate MNSR dynamic and thermal hydraulic behaviour and particularly to calculate the core coolant velocity of prevailing natural circulation in presence of the strong negative reactivity feed back of coolant temperature. The predicted time distribution of reactor power, core inlet and outlet coolant temperature follow closely the measured data for the quasi steady and transient states. However, sensitivity analyses indicate the influence of pressure form loss coefficients at core inlet and outlet on the results. The analysis of reactivity accidents represented by the insertion of large reactivity, demonstrates the high inherent safety features of MNSR. Even in case of insertion of total available cold excess reactivity without scram, the high negative reactivity feedback of moderator temperature limits power excursion and avoids consequently the escalation of clad temperature to the level of onset of sub-cooled void formation. The calculated peak power in this case agrees well with the data reported in the safety analysis report. The ATHLET code had not previously been assessed under these conditions. The results of this comprehensive analysis ensure the ability of the code to test some conceptual design modifications of MNSR's cooling system aiming the improvement of core cooling conditions to increase the maximum continuous reactor operation time allowing more effective use of MNSR for irradiation purposes.     

Thermal-hydraulic analyses of transients in an actinide-burner reactor cooled by forced convection of lead–bismuth

The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are investigating the suitability of lead or lead–bismuth cooled fast reactors for producing low-cost electricity as well as for actinide burning. The current analysis evaluated a pool type design that relies on forced circulation of the primary coolant, a conventional steam power conversion system, and a passive decay heat removal system. The ATHENA computer code was used to simulate various transients without reactor scram, including a primary coolant pump trip, a station blackout, and a step reactivity insertion. The reactor design successfully met identified temperature limits for each of the transients analyzed.     

Static design of a liquid-salt-cooled pebble bed reactor (LSPBR)

A renewed interest has been raised for liquid-salt-cooled nuclear reactors. The excellent heat transfer properties of liquid-salt coolants provide several benefits, like lower fuel temperatures, higher average coolant temperature, increased core power density and better decay heat removal, and thus higher achievable core power. In order to benefit from the on-line refueling capability of a pebble bed reactor, the liquid salt pebble bed reactor (LSPBR) is proposed. This is a high temperature pebble bed reactor with a fuel design similar to existing HTRs, but using a liquid-salt as coolant. In this paper, the selection criteria for the liquid-salt coolant are described. Based on its neutronic properties, LiF–BeF₂ (flibe) was selected for the LSPBR. Two designs of the LSPBR were considered: a cylindrical core and an annular core with a graphite inner reflector. Coupled neutronic thermal-hydraulic calculations were performed to obtain the steady state power distribution and the corresponding fuel temperature distribution. Calculations were performed to investigate the decay heat removal capability in a protected loss-of-forced cooling accident. The maximum allowable power that can be produced with the LSPBR is hereby determined.     

Passive cooldown performance of a 65 MW integral reactor

Advanced integral-type pressurized water reactor with a maximum thermal power of 65 MW is under development at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). This 65 MW integral reactor incorporates a number of innovative design features. In the case of a transient, the passive residual heat removal system (PRHRS) is designed to cool the reactor coolant system (RCS) from a normal operation condition to a hot shutdown condition by a natural circulation, and the shutdown cooling system (SCS) is designed to cool the primary system from a hot shutdown condition to a refueling condition by a forced circulation. A realistic calculation has been carried out by using the TASS/SMR code and a sensitivity analysis has been performed to evaluate a passive cooldown capability for various system conditions such as natural and forced circulation conditions for the reactor coolant system or the passive residual heat removal system, and number of active PRHRS trains. The reactor coolant system and the passive residual heat removal system adequately remove the core decay heat by a natural circulation and the 65 MW integral reactor can cool the coolant to the SCS entry condition in the primary system for all the possible operational conditions.     

Reactivity insertion limits in a typical pool-type research reactor cooled by natural circulation

The course of reactivity insertion in a pool type research reactor, with scram disabled under natural circulation condition is numerically investigated. The analyses were performed by a coupled kinetic–thermal–hydraulic computer code developed specifically for this task. The 10-MW IAEA MTR research reactor was subjected to unprotected reactivity insertion (step and ramp) for both low and high-enriched fuel with continuous reactivity feedback due to coolant and fuel temperature effects. In general, it was found that the power, core mass flow rate and clad temperature under fully established natural circulation are higher for high-enriched fuel than for low enriched fuel. This is unlike the case of decay heat removal, where equal clad temperatures are reported for both fuels. The analysis of reactivity represented by the maximum insertion of positive reactivity ($0.73) demonstrated the high inherent safety features of MTR-type research reactor. Even in the case of total excess reactivity without scram, the high reactivity feedbacks of fuel and moderator temperatures limit the power excursion and avoid consequently escalation of clad temperature to the level of onset of nucleate boiling and sub-cooled void formation. The code can also be modified to provide an accurate capability for the analyses of research reactor transients under forced convection.     

A numerical investigation of SBLOCA scenario in nuclear heating reactor

Small break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) is one of the most important severe accidents in nuclear heating reactor. Nuclear heating reactor designed by Tsinghua University, whose primary loop is integrated layout and designed without main pump. The initial water volume in the reactor vessel is important to determine whether the reactor will be cooled or not as no safety injection system is designed for coolant makeup during the whole scenario. This paper simulates SBLOCA in nuclear heating reactor based on RELAP5. Transient behavior of relevant thermal parameters is specifically analyzed. Moreover, investigation also has been made on SBLOCA scenario based on different residual heat removal correlations and found the long-term residual heat removal capacity is decisive in determining the loss of coolant. The mathematical form of residual heat removal correlation is specifically deducted and can be widely applied to different situations. The envelope line that differentiates the region whether the core is safe or not under different maximum PRHRS capacity is also given.     

反应堆内局部自然循环对非能动余热排出的影响

为研究反应堆堆内局部自然循环对非能动余热排出的影响,利用改进的RELAP5/MOD3.2程序对核动力装置及非能动余热排出系统进行数学建模与理论研究,并利用试验数据进行了校核。研究表明：在核动力装置自然循环运行条件下,由于反应堆上封头旁流及反应堆入口漏流通道的存在,在反应堆活性区、上封头、环腔及下腔室之间构成了局部自然循环流动现象;在主回路自然循环能力较弱时,堆内产生的局部自然循环流动占优,反应堆衰变热无法顺利带出。     

海洋静默式热管反应堆热工水力特性研究

安全可靠的能源供给是无人水下潜航器（UUV）发展的关键基础,本研究面向我国重型海洋UUV研发的能源需求,提出了海洋静默式热管反应堆（NUSTER-100）小型核电源概念设计。建立了包括堆芯功率模型、堆芯通道传热模型、热管传热模型、热电转换模型及冷端换热模型等热管反应堆系统数学物理模型,基于高效稳健的数值算法和模块化编程思想,开发了具有自主知识产权的热管反应堆稳态和瞬态热工水力特性分析程序HEART,采用热管实验、温差发电实验等数据对HEART程序关键模块进行了验证与确认。采用HEART程序对NUSTER-100的稳态、冷启动瞬态及反应性引入瞬态工况进行了计算分析,获得了NUSTER-100满功率稳态工况下的热工水力特性,基于冷启动瞬态热工水力分析,提出了具有较高安全性的三段式热管反应堆启动方案,评估了反应性引入瞬态工况下热管反应堆的自稳特性和安全性。本研究可为我国UUV及热管反应堆技术的发展提供理论和技术支持。     

Liquid salt cooled flexible conversion ratio fast reactor: Neutronic design

This paper presents the neutronic design of a liquid salt cooled fast reactor with flexible conversion ratio. The main objective of the design is to accommodate interchangeably within the same reactor core alternative transuranic actinides management strategies ranging from pure burning to self-sustainable breeding. Two, the most limiting, core design options with unity and zero conversion ratios are described. Ternary, NaCl-KCl-MgCl₂ salt was chosen as a coolant after a rigorous screening process, due to a combination of favourable neutronic and heat transport properties. Large positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficient was identified as the most significant design challenge. A wide range of strategies aiming at the reduction of the coolant temperature coefficient to assure self-controllability of the core in the most limiting unprotected accidents were explored. However, none of the strategies resulted in sufficient reduction of the coolant temperature coefficient without significantly compromising the core performance characteristics such as power density or cycle length. Therefore, reactivity control devices known as lithium thermal expansion modules were employed instead. This allowed achieving all the design goals for both zero and unity conversion ratio cores. The neutronic feasibility of both designs was demonstrated through calculation of reactivity control and fuel loading requirements, fluence limits, power peaking factors, and reactivity feedback coefficients.