First freezing experiments with a molten mixture of boron carbide and stainless steel in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors

Emura, Yuki; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kikuchi, Shin; Yamano, Hidemasa

Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/11

Experimental study on the coolability of molten core materials discharged into a depth- and volume-limited sodium plenum

Matsuba, Kenichi; Kato, Shinya; Kamiyama, Kenji; Akaev, A. S.*; Vurim, A. D.*; Baklanov, V. V.*

Proceedings of 31st International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE31) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2024/11

During a severe accident in sodium-cooled fast reactors, molten core materials could be discharged from the core region toward the lower sodium region of the reactor vessel through coolant channels, such as control rod guide tubes. Typical SFRs have a sodium plenum with limited depth and volume, such as the core inlet plenum located under the core region. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the coolability of molten core materials discharged into a depth- and volume-limited sodium plenum. In the present study, to deepen the understanding on the coolability of molten core materials discharged into such a sodium plenum, conditions under which molten core materials form solidified fragments were discussed based on an experiment discharging a molten fuel simulant (molten Al2O3) into a test vessel filled with liquid sodium.

New analysis model of solid body formation in particle method for jet impingement and solidification in severe accidents of SFRs

Imaizumi, Yuya; Kamiyama, Kenji; Matsuba, Kenichi

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 206, p.110658_1 - 110658_10, 2024/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110658

A Mechanism for spontaneous thermal fragmentation with coolant entrainment during the molten fuel-sodium interaction

Johnson, M.*; Emura, Yuki; Clavier, R.*; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Brayer, C.*; Journeau, C.*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 423, p.113165_1 - 113165_14, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.113165

Experimental investigation of two interactions between molten jets and sodium, pertaining to severe accidents in a sodium-cooled fast reactor, have been undertaken at the JAEA's MELT facility. X-ray imaging and debris analysis reveal rapid formation of a crust at the melt coolant-interface, instigating thermal fragmentation events. Heat transfer calculations at the jet-coolant interface, supported by particle tracking velocimetry characterisation of the jet velocity, imply the formation of a solid crust within milliseconds of contact with the coolant. A mechanism for enhanced thermal fragmentation is proposed, inspired by observations from the X-ray imaging of coolant entrainment into the jet.

A Series of molten stainless steel-sodium interaction experiments to develop an evaluation methodology for jet breakup during core disruptive accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors

Matsuba, Kenichi; Emura, Yuki; Kamiyama, Kenji

Proceedings of 2023 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2023) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2023/04

A series of Fuel-Coolant Interaction (FCI) experiments discharging about 1 kg of molten stainless steel (SS), one of prototypic materials, into a sodium pool (about 30 cm in diameter, about 1 m in depth) has been conducted at the MELT facility of Japan Atomic Energy Agency. X-ray visualization program confirmed that molten SS jets with diameters of about 1 to 2 cm were broken up by FCIs which occurred with sodium vapor expansion at depths near the initial sodium level. Responses of thermocouples suggested that the jets were rapidly cooled near the initial sodium level and became SS fragments before reaching the bottom of the sodium pool. Results of experiments with molten SS jets confirmed that an evaluation methodology for jet breakup under sodium-cooled conditions needs to be developed by taking into account effects of thermal parameters related to sodium vaporization as well as conventional parameters, such as density ratio of a jet and coolant, and jet diameter.

Measurements of pressure drop and void fraction of air-water two-phase flow in a sphere-packed bed

Yamamoto, Seishiro*; Odaira, Naoya*; Ito, Daisuke*; Ito, Kei*; Saito, Yasushi*; Imaizumi, Yuya; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji

Proceedings of 12th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS12) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2022/10

Study on the discharge behavior of the molten-core materials through the control rod guide tube; Investigations of the effect of an internal structure in the control rod guide tube on the discharge behavior

Kato, Shinya; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Akaev, A.*; Vurim, A.*; Baklanov, V.*

Proceedings of 13th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (NUTHOS-13) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2022/09

The In-Vessel Retention (IVR) of molten-core in Core Disruptive Accidents (CDAs) is of prime importance in enhancing the safety of sodium-cooled fast reactors. One of the main subjects in ensuring IVR is to design the Control Rod Guide Tube (CRGT) which allows effective discharge of molten core materials from the core region. The effectiveness of the CRGT design is assessed through CDA analyses, and it is reasonable for these analyses to develop a computer code collaborated with experimental researches. Thus, experiments addressing the discharge behavior of the molten-core materials through the CRGT have proceeded as one of the subjects in the collaboration research named the EAGLE-3 project, and the obtained experimental results are reflected in the development of the SIMMER code. In this project, a series of out-of-pile tests using molten-alumina as the fuel simulant was conducted to understand the discharge behavior of molten-core materials through the CRGT. In this study, in order to investigate the effect of an internal structure in the CRGT on the discharge behavior of the molten-core materials, the data of an out-of-pile test in which the molten-alumina penetrated to a duct with the internal structure were analyzed. In addition, the post-test analysis using the SIMMER code was conducted and the results were compared with the test results.

Development trends of small modular reactors and approaches of Japan Atomic Energy Agency to advanced reactor development

Matsuba, Kenichi; Shinohara, Masanori; Toyooka, Junichi; Inaba, Yoshitomo; Sumita, Junya

Enerugi, Shigen, 43(4), p.218 - 223, 2022/07

In the global trend toward decarbonization, Japan has a policy to pursue all options, including nuclear power, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In order to meet the public requirements for nuclear power, it is important to promote the development of advanced reactors, including the Small Modular Reactor (SMR), as one of the promising options. This article describes the domestic and international trends of SMR development, introduces the activities of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) for the development of advanced reactors including SMRs, and concludes with the future prospect for the introduction of advanced reactor including SMRs in Japan.

French-Japanese experimental collaboration on fuel-coolant interactions in sodium-cooled fast reactors

Johnson, M.*; Delacroix, J.*; Journeau, C.*; Brayer, C.*; Clavier, R.*; Montazel, A.*; Pluyette, E.*; Matsuba, Kenichi; Emura, Yuki; Kamiyama, Kenji

Proceedings of International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles; Sustainable Clean Energy for the Future (FR22) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2022/04

Fuel-coolant interactions in the event of molten fuel discharge to the lower plenum of a sodium cooled fast reactor is under investigation as part of a French-Japanese experimental collaboration on severe accidents. The MELT facility enables the X-ray visualisation of the quenching of molten core material jets in sodium at kilogram-scale. The SERUA facility, currently under preparation, is presented for the investigation of boiling heat transfer at elevated melt-coolant interface temperatures. In this article, the status of the collaboration using these facilities is presented.

Characterization of high-temperature nuclear fuel-coolant interactions through X-ray visualization and image processing

Johnson, M.*; Journeau, C.*; Matsuba, Kenichi; Emura, Yuki; Kamiyama, Kenji

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 151, p.107881_1 - 107881_13, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2020.107881

High-resolution X-ray imaging was employed at the JAEA MELT facility to visualize a kilogram-scale interaction between a jet of high temperature molten stainless steel and sodium. A novel software, SPECTRA, has been developed for the quantitative characterization of jet quenching and fragmentation. Tracking and 3D reconstruction of the melt phase traversing the imaging window enabled the detection of 72% of the debris mass recovered post-experiment. The rebounding of melt fragments confirmed a solid outer crust at the melt-coolant interface, while a thermal fragmentation event induced rapid vapor expansion. Jet fragmentation is best explained by the vaporization of coolant entrained within the melt jet generating an internal over-pressure sufficient for fragmentation of the crust. Thermal fragmentation produced a bimodal debris size distribution of coarse jet shells and finer fragments.