Experimental study on prevention of high cycle thermal fatigue at the core outlet of advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor; Characteristics of temperature fluctuations and countermeasures to mitigate temperature fluctuations at a bottom of upper internal structure

Kobayashi, Jun; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ezure, Toshiki; Nagasawa, Kazuyoshi*; Kurihara, Akikazu; Tanaka, Masaaki

JAEA-Research 2022-009, 125 Pages, 2023/01

JAEA-Research-2022-009.pdf:29.22MB

The design studies of an advanced loop-type sodium-cooled fast reactor (Advanced- SFR) have been carried out by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). At the core outlet, temperature fluctuations occur due to mixing of hot sodium from the fuel assembly with cold sodium from the control rod channels and radial blanket assembly. These temperature fluctuations may cause high cycle thermal fatigue around a bottom of Upper Internal Structure (UIS) located above the core. Therefore, we conducted a water experiment using a 1/3 scale 60 degree sector model that simulated the upper plenum of the advanced loop-type sodium-cooled reactor. And we proposed some countermeasures against large temperature fluctuations that occur at the bottom of the UIS. In this report, we have summarized that the effect of the countermeasure structure to mitigate the temperature fluctuation generated at the bottom of UIS is confirmed, and the Reynolds number dependency of the countermeasure structure and the characteristics of the temperature fluctuation on the control rod surface.

Investigation on natural circulation behavior for decay heat removal in reactor vessel of sodium-cooled fast reactor under severe accident condition, 1; Effect of decay-heat conditions on natural circulation behavior under dipped-type DHX operation conditions

Tsuji, Mitsuyo; Aizawa, Kosuke; Kobayashi, Jun; Kurihara, Akikazu

Proceedings of 12th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS12) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2022/10

In sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), decay heat removal after a core disruptive accident (CDA) is an important issue for the safety enhancement. Therefore, water experiments using a 1/10 scale experimental apparatus (PHEASANT) that simulates the reactor vessel of an SFR are conducted to investigate the natural circulation phenomena in the reactor vessel. In this study, experiments under the operation of the dipped-type DHX were conducted to investigate the effect of the heat generation ratio between the fuel debris on the core catcher in lower plenum and the reactor core remnant on the natural circulation behavior in the reactor vessel. The temperature distribution and the velocity distribution were measured under two heat generation conditions. Thus, the effect of the heat generation ratio between the fuel debris in the lower plenum and the reactor core remnant on the natural circulation behavior was quantitatively grasped under the dipped-type DHX operating conditions.

Experimental study on velocity distribution in the subchannels of a fuel pin bundle with wrapping wire; Evaluation of the characteristics of flow field in 3-pin bundle

Hiyama, Tomoyuki; Aizawa, Kosuke; Nishimura, Masahiro; Kurihara, Akikazu

JAEA-Research 2021-009, 29 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Research-2021-009.pdf:2.25MB

In sodium-cooled fast reactors, high burnup of fuel is required for practical use. It is important to predict and evaluate the flow behavior in a fuel assembly because there is a concern that the heat removal capacity of the fuel assembly with high burnup will be locally reduced due to swirling and thermal deformation of the fuel rods. In this study, flow field measurement tests were conducted using a 3-pin bundle system test specimen for the purpose of elucidating the phenomenon and constructing a verification database for thermal hydraulics analysis code. The viewpoints of the experiment for elucidating the phenomenon are as follows; (1) Overall flow behavior in the subchannel including near the wrapping wire, (2) Relationship between Reynolds number including laminar flow region and flow field, and (3) Evaluation of the effect of the presence or absence of wrapping wire on the flow field. As a result, detailed flow field data in the subchannel was obtained by PIV measurement. It was found that when the wrapping wire crossed the subchannel, the flow occurred toward adjacent subchannel and the flow occurred that follows the winding direction of the wrapping wire. It was confirmed that the tendency of the flow velocity distribution of the Reynolds number in the laminar flow region is significantly different from that of the transition region and the turbulent region under the condition. The test was conducted using a same 3-pin bundle system without the wrapping wire, and it was confirmed that mixing by the wrapping wire occurred even in the laminar flow region.

Water experiments on thermal striping phenomena at the core outlet of an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor, 2; Proposal of countermeasures to mitigate temperature fluctuations around radial blanket fuel assemblies

Kobayashi, Jun; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ezure, Toshiki; Kurihara, Akikazu; Tanaka, Masaaki

Hozengaku, 20(3), p.97 - 101, 2021/10

Focusing on the thermal striping phenomena that occurs at a bottom of the internal structure of an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor (Advanced-SFR) that has been designed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, a water experiment using a 1/3 scale 60 degree sector model simulating the upper plenum of the Advanced-SFR has been conducted to examine countermeasures for the significant temperature fluctuation generated around the bottom of Upper Internal Structure (UIS). In the previous paper, we reported the effect of measures to mitigate temperature fluctuations around the control rod channels. In this paper, the same test section was used, and a water experiment was conducted to obtain the characteristics of temperature fluctuations around the radial blanket fuel assembly. And the shape of the Core Instrumentation Support Plate (CIP) was modified, and it was confirmed that it was highly effective in alleviating temperature fluctuations around the radial blanket fuel assembly.

Development of hydrogen monitor; Applicability investigation of acoustic technique

Aizawa, Kosuke; Ara, Kuniaki; Hino, Ryutaro; Hirabayashi, Masaru*

Proceedings of OECD/NEA Specialist Workshop on Advanced Measurement Method and Instrumentation for enhancing Severe Accident Management in an NPP addressing Emergency, Stabilization and Long-term Recovery Phases (SAMMI 2020) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2020/12

Many functions of the instrumentation system did not work in the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in the severe condition. The function of the hydrogen concentration measurement system was lost due to power supply loss and coolant loss because the system was based on the sampling method. Therefore, the development of an on-site installation type hydrogen monitor which is not based on the sampling method and has environment resistance characteristics is required. Thus, a new type of hydrogen monitor by using acoustic technique has been developed at JAEA. The measurement principle is to detect the changing of sound velocity with the hydrogen concentration in a mixed gas. In this paper, the basic performance and influence of environmental conditions are described.

Investigation on velocity distribution in the subchannels of pin bundle with wrapping wire; Evaluation of Reynolds number dependence in 3-pin bundle

Aizawa, Kosuke; Hiyama, Tomoyuki; Nishimura, Masahiro; Kurihara, Akikazu; Ishida, Katsuji*

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16679

A sodium-cooled fast reactor is designed to attain a high burn-up core in commercialized fast reactor cycle systems. In high burn-up fuel subassemblies, the deformation of fuel pin due to the swelling and thermal bowing may decrease local flow velocity in the subassembly and influence the heat removal capability. Therefore, it is important to obtain the flow velocity distribution in a wire wrapped pin bundle. In this study, the detailed flow velocity distribution in the subchannel has been obtained by PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) measurement using a wire-wrapped 3-pin bundle water model. Flow velocity conditions in the pin bundle were set from 0.036 m/s ( = 270) to 1.6m/s ( = 13,500). From the PIV results, the maximum flow velocity was increased by decreasing the number in the region away from the wrapping wire. Moreover, the PIV measurements by using the 3-pin bundle geometry without the wrapping wire were conducted. From the results, the effect of the wrapping wire on the flow field in the subchannel was understood. There experimental results useful not only for understanding of pin bundle thermal hydraulics but also code validation.

Development of the neutron polarizer for the T-violation search using compound nuclei

Okudaira, Takuya; Oku, Takayuki; Sakai, Kenji; Ino, Takashi*; Hayashida, Hirotoshi*; Hiroi, Kosuke; Shinohara, Takenao; Kakurai, Kazuhisa*; Aizawa, Kazuya; Shimizu, Hirohiko*; et al.

Proceedings of Science (Internet), 356, p.029_1 - 029_5, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.22323/1.356.0029

The technology development section carries out the development of the neutron polarization device: He Spin Filter. It is often used for the fundamental physics region. In order to explain the matter-dominated universe, a time reversal violation is necessary and searches for new physics are conducted in the world. The T-violation search using a polarized neutron beam is planned at J-PARC. A large He spin filter is needed to polarize high energy neutrons for the experiment and is developed in JAEA. Recently, we developed the accurate measurement system to evaluate the polarization of He and a vacuum system to make the He spin filter, and large He spin filters for epi-thermal neutron was made using the system. The current status of the development of the He spin filter will be talked.

Development of under sodium viewer for next generation sodium-cooled Fast reactor; Imaging test in sodium

Aizawa, Kosuke; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Ara, Kuniaki; Yui, Masahiro*; Jinno, Kentaro*; Hiramatsu, Takashi*

Proceedings of 2019 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2019) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2019/05

Inspection technique in opaque liquid metal coolant is one of important issues for sodium-cooled fast reactors. Various under sodium viewers (USVs), including horizontal USVs for obstacle detection and imaging USVs, have been developed in several research institutes and countries. We aim practical realization of imaging USV which adopts an optical receiving system, which measures the vibration displacement of diaphragm by using a laser as a receiving sensor. This study mainly focuses on the sensitivity improvement of a receiving sensor. An issue for the sensitivity improvement of the receiving sensor is the sound pressure propagation inside the receiving sensor. Prototype tests in the water and sodium were conducted in order to resolve the issue. In addition, imaging experiments in the water and sodium were conducted using the improved receiving sensor. From the results of imaging experiments, the relation between obtained wave profile and the regeneration imaging was confirmed.

Measurement of Velocity Field in Five Jets Water Test (FIWAT) for thermal striping in sodium-cooled fast reactor

Aizawa, Kosuke; Kobayashi, Jun; Tanaka, Masaaki; Kurihara, Akikazu; Ishida, Katsuji*; Nagasawa, Kazuyoshi*

Proceedings of 11th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS-11) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2018/11

A conceptual design of an advanced loop type sodium cooled reactor has been carried out in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Temperature fluctuation is caused by mixing of fluids at different temperature from the control rod channels and the core fuel assemblies, high cycle thermal fatigue may arise on the Core Instrument Plane (CIP) at bottom of the Upper Internal Structure (UIS). In JAEA, 1/3-scaled five jets water tests (FIWAT) have been performed in order to investigate thermal striping phenomena around the CIP. In this study, the velocity field was measured in the mixing area between the jet outlet and the bottom of the structure by using particle image velocimetry (PIV) to compare with the temperature fluctuation characteristics.

Development of under sodium viewer for next generation sodium-cooled fast reactors

Aizawa, Kosuke; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Ara, Kuniaki; Yui, Masahiro*; Uemoto, Yohei*; Kurokawa, Masaaki*; Hiramatsu, Takashi*

Proceedings of International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles; Next Generation Nuclear Systems for Sustainable Development (FR-17) (USB Flash Drive), 9 Pages, 2017/06

Inspection in opaque liquid metal coolant is one of important issues for sodium-cooled fast reactors. To facilitate operations and maintenance activities, various under sodium viewers (USVs), including horizontal USVs for obstacle detection for a long distance and imaging USVs for a short and middle distance imaging, have been developed in several research institutes and countries. In this study, an imaging USV for a middle distance, approximately 1 m, has been developed. The USV in this study adopts an optical receiving system which measures the vibration displacement of diaphragm by using a laser as a receiving sensor. This study mainly focuses on the sensitivity improvement for a transmission sensor and the receiving sensor. In addition, an imaging experiment in the water was conducted using the new transmission sensor and receiving sensor. The experimental results showed that the newly developed USV sensors can make higher resolution images of a target than the previous sensors.