Fabrication and test results of testing equipment for remote-handling of MA fuel, 2; Evaluation of heat transfer parameter crossing rectangular lattice matrix

Eguchi, Yuta ; Sugawara, Takanori  ; Nishihara, Kenji  ; Tazawa, Yujiro; Inoue, Akira; Tsujimoto, Kazufumi 

Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P) planned in the J-PARC project uses minor actinide (MA) fuel which has large decay heat. So it is necessary to consider the increase of the core temperature when the core cooling system is stopped. This change of the core temperature was evaluated by thermal conduction analysis. It was found that the impact of thermal insulation in the empty rectangular lattice matrix area was large. So it is necessary to verify reliability and accuracy of heat transfer effect used in this area. Testing equipment was fabricated to verify the accuracy of calculation model for the empty lattice matrix which was the free convection model of sealed fluid. By using this equipment, thermal distribution and one dimensional heat flow through the lattice were measured. It was observed that the actual equivalent thermal conductivity in the lattice was larger than the free convection model. It was also confirmed that the insertion of the aluminum block into the empty lattice could achieve the higher equivalent thermal conductivity. These results could be the useful data for the thermal conduction analysis.