Specifications for benchmark analyses of transient thermal-hydraulics in reactor vessel and primary heat transport system during decay heat removal operation

Kobayashi, Jun; Tanaka, Masaaki; Hamase, Erina; Ezure, Toshiki

JAEA-Data/Code 2025-009, 74 Pages, 2025/08

JAEA-Data-Code-2025-009.pdf:4.7MB

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor, a diversified auxiliary cooling system to remove decay heat from the core is required to enhance its safety. The decay heat removal systems (DHRSs) include a direct reactor auxiliary cooling system (DRACS) with a heat exchanger in the upper plenum (UP) of the reactor vessel (RV), a primary reactor auxiliary cooling system (PRACS) with a heat exchanger in the primary heat transport system (PHTS), an intermediate reactor auxiliary cooling system (IRACS) with a heat exchanger in the secondary heat transport system (SHTS), a heat removal system which employs a steam generator, and a reactor vessel auxiliary cooling system (RVACS) that effects cooling from outside the RV. In the operation of the DRACS with a dipped-type direct heat exchanger (D-DHX) installed in the UP of the RV (UP-RV), the thermal interaction, called core-plenum interaction (CPI), regarding the thermal-hydraulic phenomena in the UP-RV and the core is observed. The CPI includes the penetration flow of the sodium at a low temperature from the D-DHX into the core assemblies, the flow in the gap between assemblies, and the radial heat transfer through sodium in the gap. On the other hand, in the operation of the PRACS or IRACS, where the flowrate in the PHTS is maintained, the core coolability is affected by plant operating conditions. Two transient tests conducted at the PLANDTL-DHX sodium test facility in Japan Atomic Energy Agency were provided to develop an appropriate numerical analysis model for prediction of transient thermal-hydraulics in the DHRSs, the core, and the PHTS. In this document, the geometry information of the RV and the PHTS, including the heat exchangers for the DHRS, and the measured flowrate and temperature transients at each inlet of the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) on the SHTS side and DHRS were specified as the boundary conditions for the benchmark analyses.

Development of ARKADIA for the innovation of advanced nuclear reactor design process (Development of the design optimization support tool, ARKADIA-Design)

Tanaka, Masaaki; Doda, Norihiro; Hamase, Erina; Kuwagaki, Kazuki; Mori, Takero; Okajima, Satoshi; Kikuchi, Norihiro; Yoshimura, Kazuo; Matsushita, Kentaro; Hashidate, Ryuta; et al.

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 91(943), p.24-00229_1 - 24-00229_12, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.24-00229

To assist conceptual studies of various reactor systems conducted by private sectors in nuclear power innovation, an innovative design system named ARKADIA (Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-aided Design Integration Approach through the whole plant lifecycle) has been developed. In this paper, focusing on the ARKADIA-Design, achievements in the development of optimization processes in the fields of the core design, the plant structure design, and the maintenance schedule planning, as major function of ARKADIA-Design, and numerical analysis methods including coupled analysis to be used for the detailed analysis to confirm the plant performance after optimization are introduced at this point in time.

Development of core design optimization process; Feasibility study of multivariable optimization via integrated sequential analyses of neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and fuel integrity evaluation

Kuwagaki, Kazuki; Hamase, Erina; Yokoyama, Kenji; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 225, p.111754_1 - 111754_10, 2025/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2025.111754

Development of VVUQ method for ensuring credibility of plant dynamics analysis results based on statistical approach

Hamase, Erina; Kawamura, Takumi*; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki

Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2024/11

A plant dynamics analysis code, Super-COPD, is being developed for the design and safety evaluation of sodium-cooled fast reactors. Verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification (VVUQ) are required to ensure the reliability of its analysis results. In this study, to develop the VVUQ method, the uncertainty propagation analysis of input parameters was performed for the loss of flow without scram test in the FFTF, and the process of validation was investigated. In addition, the method of sensitivity analysis was investigated. As a result, the uncertainty of the analysis results was quantified, the applicability of the statistical method was confirmed. The sensitivity analysis using the Sobol' method identified the models that needs to be prioritized for improvement.

Development of reactor vessel thermal-hydraulic analysis method in natural circulation conditions; Investigation of interwrapper Gap model

Hamase, Erina; Doda, Norihiro; Ono, Ayako; Tanaka, Masaaki; Miyake, Yasuhiro*; Imai, Yasutomo*

Proceedings of 14th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation, and Safety (NUTHOS-14) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2024/08

We have been developed a thermal-hydraulic analysis model in the reactor vessel using the computational fluid dynamics code with a low computational cost to evaluate core-plenum interactions during a natural circulation decay heat removal using a dipped-type direct heat exchanger in a design of sodium-cooled fast reactors. In this study, we investigate the coarse mesh modeling of interwrapper gap (IWG) using correlations for the purpose of the development of a practical model which can reduce the computational cost maintaining the prediction accuracy. An influence of combinations of the coarse mesh and the correlation for pressure loss in the IWG on the thermal-hydraulics and the core temperature distribution is revealed through the numerical analysis of a sodium experiment.

Development of a design optimization framework for sodium-cooled fast reactors, 3; Development of a prototype with user interface

Doda, Norihiro; Nakamine, Yoshiaki*; Yoshimura, Kazuo; Kuwagaki, Kazuki; Hamase, Erina; Yokoyama, Kenji; Kikuchi, Norihiro; Mori, Takero; Hashidate, Ryuta; Tanaka, Masaaki

Keisan Kogaku Koenkai Rombunshu (CD-ROM), 29, 6 Pages, 2024/06

As a part of the development of the "Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-aided Design Integration Approach through the whole plant lifecycle (ARKADIA)" to utilize the knowledge obtained through the sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) and combine the latest numerical simulation technologies, ARKADIA-Design is being developed to support the optimization of SFRs in the conceptual design stage. ARKADIA-Design consists of three systems of Virtual Plant Life System (VLS), Enhanced and AI-aided optimization System (EAS), and Knowledge Management System (KMS). A design optimization framework controls the linkage among the three systems through the interfaces in each system. In this study, we have developed a prototype of the framework for core design optimization using the coupled analysis functions in VLS and optimization control function in the linkage of EAS and VLS to investigate the applicability of the framework to the SFR design optimization process.

Validation of the fast reactor plant dynamics analysis code Super-COPD using FFTF loss of flow without scram test #13

Hamase, Erina; Ohgama, Kazuya; Kawamura, Takumi*; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki; Yamano, Hidemasa

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 195, p.110157_1 - 110157_14, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2023.110157

To validate the fast reactor plant dynamics analysis code Super-COPD for the loss of flow without scram (LOFWOS) event, we participated in the IAEA benchmark for the LOFWOS test No.13 performed at the FFTF as one of the passive safety demonstration test. In the blind phase, there were challenges to reproduce outlet temperatures of fuel assemblies and the total reactivity. To improve the evaluation accuracy of them, the whole core model considering the radial heat transfer and interwrapper flow and the simplified assembly bowing reactivity model were introduced. As a result of the final phase, the second peak of outlet temperatures was reproduced successfully, and the total reactivity could generally follow the measured data. Super-COPD was validated for the LOFWOS event.

Validation practices of multi-physics core performance analysis in an advanced reactor design study

Doda, Norihiro; Kato, Shinya; Hamase, Erina; Kuwagaki, Kazuki; Kikuchi, Norihiro; Ohgama, Kazuya; Yoshimura, Kazuo; Yoshikawa, Ryuji; Yokoyama, Kenji; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; et al.

Proceedings of 20th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-20) (Internet), p.946 - 959, 2023/08

https://dx.doi.org/10.13182/NURETH20-40118

An innovative design system named ARKADIA is being developed to realize the design of advanced nuclear reactors as safe, economical, and sustainable carbon-free energy sources. This paper focuses on ARKADIA-Design for design studies as a part of ARKADIA and introduces representative verification methods for numerical analysis methods of the core design. ARKADIA-Design performs core performance analysis of sodium-cooled fast reactors using a multiphysics approach that combines neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, core mechanics, and fuel pin behavior analysis codes. To confirm the validity of these analysis codes, validation matrices are identified with reference to experimental data and reliable numerical analysis results. The analysis models in these codes and the representative practices for the validation matrices are described.

Investigation of optimization process for core design with integrated analysis between neutronics and plant dynamics

Hamase, Erina; Kuwagaki, Kazuki; Doda, Norihiro; Yokoyama, Kenji; Tanaka, Masaaki

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2023/05

To innovate a core design process, an optimization process for the core design has been developed as a part of the design optimization support tool named ARKADIA-Design. The core design optimization process is integrated by the core design analysis of neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and fuel integrity and plant dynamics analysis with the Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithm. The optimization problem for design parameters with high core performance and inherent safety in ULOF event was solved by the integrated analysis between the neutronics and plant dynamics with the BO in a primary loop system including a core consisting of two-dimensional RZ cylindrical geometry. It was indicated that the optimization process could obtain an optimal solution.

Benchmark analysis of FFTF Loss of Flow Without Scram Test No.13 using fast reactor plant dynamics analysis code Super-COPD

Hamase, Erina; Ohgama, Kazuya; Kawamura, Takumi*; Doda, Norihiro; Yamano, Hidemasa; Tanaka, Masaaki

Proceedings of 12th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS12) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2022/10

To improve the prediction accuracy of the plant dynamics analysis code named Super-COPD, JAEA has joined the IAEA benchmark for the FFTF Loss of Flow Without Scram Test No.13. In the first blind phase, there was the challenge to perform outlet temperatures of fuel assemblies more accurately. Hence, the renewed analysis was performed with the whole core multi-channel model in which each assembly was modelled to simulate the radial heat transfer among assemblies and the flow redistribution induced by the buoyancy in the NC conditions. Then, to validate the coupled transient analysis between the whole core multi-channel model and the one-point kinetics model, the analysis considering major reactivity feedbacks such as GEM, assembly bowing was performed. As a result, the second peak of outlet temperatures was reproduced successfully, and it was observed that the plant dynamics analysis could follow the measured data.