Experimental studies and computational benchmark on heavy liquid metal natural circulation in a full height-scale test loop for small modular reactors

Shin, Yong-Hoon; Cho, Jaehyun; Lee, Jueun; Ju, Heejae; Sohn, Sungjune; Kim, Yeji; Noh, Hyunyub; Hwang, Il Soon

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.03.001

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The heated LBE from the core is cooled in the heat exchanger part, which is connected to a secondary cooling system. The cooled LBE passes through the annular downcomer and lower structure of the reactor vessel and enters the lower plenum to provide natural circulation . In the PILLAR, an MHD pump was placed to the riser, and downward pressure was generated in the annular downcomer and thereby helping to increase the mass flow rate in the SMLFR.…”

Section: Theoretical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To verify the conceptual design of the URANUS reactor, a small‐scale facility with natural LBE circulation called the pool‐type integral leading facility for lead‐alloy cooled advanced small modular reactor (PILLAR) was prepared . However, in thermal hydraulic aspects, both forced and natural coolant circulations were considered to prepare for the failure of natural convection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this respect, a reactor‐integrated magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) coolant circulation system is the most appropriate choice for ensuring the small size, safety, and sustainability of the reactor, not only because it is safe from the corrosiveness of LBE but also because it is structurally simple, high maintenance, and small. The ratio of the passage area of the URANUS reactor to that of the PILLAR is 200:1, considering their thermal hydraulic similarity and requiring developed pressure of 8456 Pa and mass flow rate of 21.37 kg/second, where the PILLAR involves natural circulation . The combined cooling achieved through forced circulation by MHD driving and natural circulation was analyzed and compared to that realized when only natural circulation was used to evaluate the applicability of magnetohydrodynamically driven circulation for SMLFR cooling improvement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To verify the conceptual design of the URANUS reactor, a small-scale facility with natural LBE circulation called the pool-type integral leading facility for lead-alloy cooled advanced small modular reactor (PILLAR) was prepared. 6 However, in thermal hydraulic aspects, both forced and natural coolant circulations were considered to prepare for the failure of natural convection. A magnetohydrodynamically driven cooling system is used for forced circulation to generate a sufficient flow rate in the primary cooling system without requiring any significant changes to the internal structure of the reactor.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ratio of the passage area of the URANUS reactor to that of the PILLAR is 200:1, considering their thermal hydraulic similarity and requiring developed pressure of 8456 Pa and mass flow rate of 21.37 kg/second, where the PILLAR involves natural circulation. 6 The combined cooling achieved through forced circulation by MHD driving and natural circulation was analyzed and compared to that realized when only natural circulation was used to evaluate the applicability of magnetohydrodynamically driven circulation for SMLFR cooling improvement. This report focuses on conceptual technological development for an SMLFR with a coolant transportation system integrated with the reactor to ensure a sufficient mass flow rate without relying upon natural circulation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of innovative reactor-integrated coolant system design concept for a small modular lead fast reactor

Kwak

Kim

2018

Int J Energy Res

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Summary The report describes the development of an innovative magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) space‐integrated coolant system design concept for the small modular lead fast reactor called the ubiquitous, rugged, accident‐forgiving, nonproliferating, and ultralasting sustainer reactor. The coolant system efficiency was analyzed based on space‐integrated geometric and electromagnetic variables related to the circulation of lead‐bismuth eutectic (LBE) liquid metal coolant in a reactor with a thermal output of 100 MWt and using the MHD principle. The objective of the system is to optimize the circulation of the noncontacting liquid metal coolant without any internal structure, such as an impellor or sealing part, to transport the LBE with high electrical conductivity in the reactor. The concept was first applied to the pool‐type integral leading facility for lead‐alloy cooled advanced small modular reactor, which serves as a scaled‐down experimental facility for the ubiquitous, rugged, accident‐forgiving, nonproliferating, and ultralasting sustainer reactor, for characteristic analysis of the coolant system subject to the requirements of a developed pressure of 8456 Pa and a mass flow rate of 21.37 kg/second. The MHD core blanket, which was attached to the upper part of the pool‐type integral leading facility for lead‐alloy cooled advanced small modular reactor and wrapped it cylindrically from the outside to form an annular passage, was designed for the forced circulation of liquid LBE taking into account its internal space and the high operating temperature of 440°C. Design variable analysis provided the optimized geometric and electromagnetic parameters of the MHD driving system based on the electromagnetic characteristics in the coolant passage of the reactor. This forced cooling system concept based on MHD propulsion is structurally simple and will enable significant space reduction and increased power for small modular lead fast reactors. It was also determined that safe long‐term reactor operation could be ensured without requiring particular maintenance because the operation does not involve fluid contact.

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Section: Theoretical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of innovative reactor-integrated coolant system design concept for a small modular lead fast reactor

Kwak

Kim

2018

Int J Energy Res

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MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

et al. 2021

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Summary A core design of MicroURANUS, a long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast nuclear reactor for marine applications, is presented. It aims to generate a power of 60MWth, which can be regulated during operation. MicroURANUS was designed to achieve a small burnup reactivity swing for 30 effective full‐power years of a lifetime without refueling. To attain these goals, a unit cell study with uranium oxide fuel was initiated to lay a solid foundation for core design, owing to size constraints. A reflector optimization was also performed to minimize neutron leakage. MicroURANUS adopts onion zoning constructed by two enrichment zones for flattening the power and lengthening the core lifetime. The coolant is driven by electromagnetic pumps to achieve inlet and outlet temperatures of 250°C and 350°C, respectively. MicroURANUS analyses were performed using the Argonne Reactor Computation suite and the Monte Carlo code MCS. Core performance features were analyzed for criticality, power profiles, fuel isotope mass inventory, reflector coefficients, reactivity feedback coefficients, and shutdown margin. Additional thermal‐hydraulic calculations were performed to confirm that the fuel and cladding temperatures were within the acceptable range. Furthermore, a load follow analysis using the quasi‐static reactivity balance method confirmed the feasibility of regulating power by adjusting the inlet coolant temperature.

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The effects of Si‐ion implantation and preoxidation on the corrosion behavior of a new steel SIMP in 550∘C ${\bf{55}}{{\bf{0}}}^{\circ }{\bf{C}}$ lead‐bismuth eutectic

Shen

et al. 2023

Materials & Corrosion

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To improve the corrosion resistance of SIMP steel, we have investigated Si‐ion implantation and preoxidation effects on the corrosion behavior of SIMP steel samples, which have been in stagnant lead‐bismuth eutectic (LBE) with saturated oxygen at C for 1000 h. It was found that increasing Si content on the surface did not improve corrosion resistance performance. By contrast, the preoxidized sample demonstrated high resistance to LBE corrosion due to the presence of a thin Cr‐enriched oxide layer.

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Experimental studies and computational benchmark on heavy liquid metal natural circulation in a full height-scale test loop for small modular reactors

Cited by 12 publications

References 23 publications

Development of innovative reactor-integrated coolant system design concept for a small modular lead fast reactor

Development of innovative reactor-integrated coolant system design concept for a small modular lead fast reactor

MicroURANUS : Core design for long‐cycle lead‐bismuth‐cooled fast reactor for marine applications

The effects of Si‐ion implantation and preoxidation on the corrosion behavior of a new steel SIMP in 550∘C ${\bf{55}}{{\bf{0}}}^{\circ }{\bf{C}}$ lead‐bismuth eutectic

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