Development of Computer Code SAFFRON for Evaluating Breached Pin Performance in FBR's

In order to evaluate the breached pin behavior in FBR, the breached pin performance analysis code SAFFRON was developed. Based on the results of run-beyond-cladding-breach test in EBR-II as a collaborative program between PNC and U.S. DOE, the following behaviors were taken into cosideration; fuel sodium reaction product (FSRP) formation, resultant fuel expansion, breach extension of cladding and release of delayed neutron precursors into the coolant. Using 3-dimensional elastic analyses by finite element method, breached pin diameter increase is adequately predicted with the reduced Young's modulus of the breached fuel. The delayed neutron signal response in on-line diagnosis was evaluated in relation to the growth of FSRP and breached area enlargement.     

Ion Exchange Technology in Spent Fuel Reprocessing

Solvent extraction is the major unit operation employed in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. The operation yields three streams; fission product waste, uranium product and plutonium product. Ion exchange is primarily used in reprocessing as a tail-end method to concentrate and isolate the plutonium product stream. This review will describe the details of plutonium recovery and purification by both cation- and anion-exchange processing. A brief overview of miscellaneous uses of ion-exchange employed in reprocessing will also be given.     

Optical Trappings of ThO2 and UO2 Particles Using Radiation Pressure of a Visible Laser Light

Optical trappings of ThO₂ and UO₂ particles have been first demonstrated in water using the radiation pressure of a TEM₀₀-mode He-Ne laser beam of λ=633 nm. It was observed that a ThO₂ particle was successfully trapped three-dimensionally in the focus region and transferred by moving the focus. On the other hand, for a UO₂ particle of which a refractive index and an extinction coefficient are relatively large in the visible region, only two-dimensional trapping was observed when the beam focus was located near the bottom of the particle. One of the main difficulties in the optical trapping of nuclear fuel particles is attributed to their relatively large absorption coefficients in the visible region. Computational studies on three-dimensional optical trapping performances of absorbing particles were, therefore, perfomed with a simulation code based on geometrical optics. The present calculation can well predict the experimental results on the optical trapping characteristics for ThO₂ and UO₂ particles.     

A review of nanofluid heat transfer and critical heat flux enhancement—Research gap to engineering application

As a novel strategy to improve heat transfer characteristics of fluids by the addition of solid particles with diameters below 100 nm, nanofluids exhibit unprecedented heat transfer properties and are being considered as potential working fluids to be used in high heat flux systems such as electronic cooling systems, solar collectors, heat pipes, and nuclear reactors. The present paper reviews the state-of-the-art nanofluid studies on such topics as thermo-physical properties, convective heat transfer performance, boiling heat transfer performance, and critical heat flux (CHF) enhancement. It is indicated that the current experimental data of nanofluids thermal properties are neither sufficient nor reliable for engineering applications. Some inconsistent or contradictory results related to thermo-physical properties, convective heat transfer performance, boiling heat transfer performance, and CHF enhancement of nanofluids are found in data published in the literature. No comprehensive theory explains the energy transfer processes in nanofluids. To bridge the research gaps for nanofluids' engineering application, the urgent work are suggested as follows. (1) Nanofluid stability under both quiescent and flow conditions should be evaluated carefully; (2) A nanofluid database of thermo-physical properties, including detailed characterization of nanoparticle sizes, distribution, and additives or stabilizers (if used), should be established, in a worldwide cooperation of researchers; (3) More experimental and numerical studies on the interaction of suspended nanoparticles and boundary layers should be performed to uncover the mechanism behind convective heat transfer enhancement by nanofluids; (4) Bubble dynamics of boiling nanofluids should be investigated experimentally and numerically, together with surface tension effects, by considering the influences of nanoparticles and additives if used, to identify the exact contributions of solid surface modifications and suspended nanoparticles to CHF enhancement in boiling heat transfer. Once we acquire such details about the above key issues, we will gain more confidence in conducting application studies of nanofluids in different areas with more efficiency.     

Measurement and calculation of neutron densities in BWR high burn-up fuels

A neutron-scanning device was developed for measuring accurate neutron densities of BWR high burn-up fuels up to 65 GWd tU⁻¹. Characteristic test of this device was done with a ²⁵²Cf source and adopted to measure axial distributions of neutron densities of BWR spent fuels with various enrichments (2.0–3.4%), which had been irradiated up to 60 GWd tU⁻¹ at Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station Unit 2(2F-2). We found the measured neutron densities were proportional to about fourth power of the corresponding burn-up values. The neutron densities calculated by the ORIGEN2.1 code and various cross section libraries showed good agreements with the measured ones in profile and absolute value except for BWR-UE file mainly based on ENDF/B-IV. The BS240J32 library based on JENDL3.2 was the best among the investigated libraries.     

A numerical neutronics benchmark study for inert matrix plutonium fuels in uranium dioxide and mixed plutonium-uranium dioxide environments

A numerical benchmark exercise has been under way for comparing the results of different calculational methods/data sets used for the analysis of light water reactor (LWR) configurations employing Pu inert matrix fuels (IMFs). The first phase of the exercise was devoted to infinite arrays of identical IMF cells. The main feature investigated in the second phase has been the influence of the neutron spectra in UO₂ and MOX cores on individual IMF cells. Phase 3 is concerned with the more realistic situation of an IMF assembly surrounded by UO₂ assemblies. Significant discrepancies have been observed for power peaking effects and delayed neutron parameters in Phase 2. In Phase 3, neutron balance differences for the IMF, particularly at EOL, are found to be significantly larger than were observed in Phase 1.     

山西煤基替代石油中长期发展战略研究

山西是我国重要的煤炭基地,实施煤基替代石油战略是保障国家能源安全,建设国家新型能源基地,培育煤炭接续产业的必然选择。根据国家替代能源中长期发展战略和山西省的省情,提出了立足于丰富的劣质煤、焦炉煤气、煤层气等资源优势,推进包括煤基醇醚燃料、煤制油、水煤浆等替代能源的多元化发展战略,并提出了相应的政策建议。     

Measurement of thermal conductivity,viscosity and density of ionic liquid [EMIM][DEP]-based nanofluids☆

This article studied experimentally the effect of multi-wall carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs)on the thermo physical properties of ionic liquid-based nanofluids.The nanofluids were composed of ionic liquid,1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate [EMIM][DEP],or its aqueous solution[EMIM][DEP](1)+ H_2O(2)and MWCNTs without any surfactants.The thermal conductivity,viscosity and density of the nanofluids were measured experimentally.The effects of the mass fraction of MWCNTs,temperature and the mole fraction of water on the thermo physical properties of nanofluids were studied.Results show that the thermal conductivity of nanofluids increases within the range of 1.3%–9.7% compared to their base liquids,and have a well linear dependence on temperature.The viscosity and density of the nanofluids exhibit a remarkable increase compared with those of the base liquids.Finally,the correlation of the effective thermal conductivity and viscosity of the nanofluids was made using the models in the literatures.     

合成气制烃的催化过程和催化剂发展动态

4 合成气直接制烃催化剂提高合成过程竞争力的总趋势是控制选择性,开发定向合成催化过程和催化剂。目的产品是液体燃料汽油、柴油,化工原料乙烯、丙烯、异丁烯等低碳烯烃以及裂解原料低碳烷烃。4.1 合成低碳烯烃     

Thermal–hydraulic modeling of water/Al2O3 nanofluid as the coolant in annular fuels for a typical VVER-1000 core

In this paper, a thermal–hydraulic analysis of nanofluid as the coolant is performed in a typical VVER-1000 reactor with internally and externally cooled annular fuel. The fuel assembly for annular case with 8 × 8 arrays is considered for annular pin configuration. The considered nanofluid is a mixture composed of water and particles of Al₂O₃ with various volume percentages. The fuel rod is modeled using a CFD code. To validate the calculated results, the present results of solid fuel with nanofluid and pure water are compared with other studies which have been done with visual FORTRAN language, DRAGON/DONJON code, COBRA-EN code and the mentioned analytical approaches have been validated by comparing with the final safety analysis report (FSAR). The comparison of the calculated results shows that the results are in good agreement with other studies. Thus, the accuracy of the validation is satisfactory. Moreover, the temperature distributions of the fuel, clad and coolant are described for water/Al₂O₃ nanofluid in solid fuel and annular fuel. It is observed that as the concentration of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles increases, due to higher heat transfer coefficient of Al₂O₃ nanofluid, the temperature of the coolant is increased and the central fuel temperature is reduced. Thus, it improves margin from peak fuel temperature to melting. Finally, it is illustrated the use of the annular fuel instead of solid fuel in core of the reactor, security and efficiency of the nuclear power plant will be increased.