Hydrodynamic Properties of High Temperature Natural Circulating Helium Cooling Loop

Abstract

Abstract:The paper deals with the hydrodynamic properties, i.e. the consumption of mechanical energy expressed by pressure drops within a helium loop intended for the testing of decay heat removal (DHR) from the model of a gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR). The system is characterised by the natural circulation of helium, as a coolant, and assume steady operating conditions of circulation. The helium loop consists of four main components: model of gas-cooled fast reactor, model of the heat exchanger for decay heat removal, hot piping branch and cold piping branch. Using the process hydrodynamic calculations, the pressure drops of circulating helium within the main components of the helium loop were determined. The calculations have been done for several defined operating conditions which correspond to the different helium flow rates within the system.

Thermal Characteristics of High Temperature Naturally Circulating Helium Cooling Loop

“…The equation (7) contains the following variables related to the GFR reactor model: the mass flow rate of helium mHeR, specific enthalpies of helium at the inlet hHeRI and at the outlet hHeRO, mean value of the specific heat capacity of helium pHeR c and the temperatures of helium at the inlet THeRI and at the outlet THeRO. Heat transfer (heat flow) in the working space of the reactor model between the heating surface of the heating elements (rods) and helium can be expressed by the thermokinetic equation:…”

“…For this reason, the research of the helium cooling loop systems is very topical. The research activities in the given area from several aspects are documented in the various publications, as for example [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8].…”

“…A very significant influence on the qualitative and quantitative side of the thermo-hydrodynamic processes has the geometric configuration of the system. The hydrodynamic process properties of such a helium cooling loop are presented in the paper [7].…”

Suitability Assessment of Two Types of Heat Exchangers for High Temperature, Naturally Circulating Helium Cooling Loop

“…For this reason, the research of helium cooling loop systems is very topical. The research activities in the given area from several aspects are documented in the various publications, as for example [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10].…”

“…This cooling loop can be defined as a model of passive safety feature serving to emergency heat removal from the fast reactor working space (the active zone of gas-cooled fast reactor). Such a type of helium cooling loop is one of the research subjects in our department [4,7,9].…”