Handbook of Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety (2nd Edition); Development of hydrogen behavior integrated analysis system and application to actual PWR

Terada, Atsuhiko; Thwe Thwe, A.; Hino, Ryutaro*

JAEA-Review 2024-049, 400 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Review-2024-049.pdf:13.94MB

In the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, safety measures against hydrogen in severe accident has been recognized as a serious technical problem in Japan. As one of efforts to form a common knowledge base between nuclear engineers and experts on combustion and explosion, we issued the "Handbook of Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety (1st edition)" in 2017. For improvement of the rational advancement of hydrogen safety measures and further reliability of hydrogen safety evaluation, a CFD analysis is highly expected to produce more precisely and quantitative results. We have been developing an integrated CFD analysis code system which can analyze hydrogen diffusion, explosion-combustion and structural integrity at the severe accident especially for pressurized water reactors (PWRs). We organized the role of LP and the CFD analyses and their utilization examples of hydrogen safety validation. Based on these results, we made the "Handbook of Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety (2nd volume)". The analysis results of real scale PWR described in 2nd volume are confirmed by cross-analysis models and existing data obtained through representative small, medium and large-scale tests.

Analytical studies on effects of wind on dispersion of hydrogen leaked in a partially open space

Terada, Atsuhiko; Nagaishi, Ryuji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 61(8), p.1135 - 1154, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2302540

In order to elucidate ventilation and exhaust of hydrogen leaked in a partially open space practically, the effects of outer wind on them were studied analytically by using a CFD code in the room of experimental Half-size Hallway model, which has a H release hole on the bottom, one vent on the roof and another vent on the side: external air flowed in the room from the Door vent and then H was discharged outside from the Roof vent. The H concentration distribution in the room was divided into two layers at the height of Door vent, with a high concentration layer above it and a low concentration layer below it, forming a stratified interface. When the wind speed blown into the room increased, the combination of the Realizable k-e; turbulence model and the turbulence Schmidt number of 1.0 improved the reproducibility of the analysis results of H concentration distribution. The trial analysis suggested that the concern that wind would increase the indoor H concentration could be reduced by using the plate with a simple structure in which two plates were crossed on the Roof vent.

Simulation of the self-propagating hydrogen-air premixed flame in a closed-vessel by an open-source CFD code

Thwe Thwe, A.; Terada, Atsuhiko; Hino, Ryutaro; Nagaishi, Ryuji; Kadowaki, Satoshi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(5), p.573 - 579, 2022/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1990153

The simulations of the combustion of self-propagating hydrogen-air premixed flame are performed by an open-source CFD code. The flame propagation behavior, flame radius, temperature and pressure are analyzed by varying the initial laminar flame speed and grid size. When the initial laminar speed increases, the thermal expansion effects become strong which leads the increase of flame radius along with the increase of flame surface area, flame temperature and pressure. A new laminar flame speed model derived previously from the results of experiment is also introduced to the code and the obtained flame radii are compared with those from the experiments. The formation of cellular flame fronts is captured by simulation and the cell separation on the flame surface vividly appears when the gird resolution becomes sufficiently higher. The propagation behavior of cellular flame front and the flame radius obtained from the simulations have the reasonable agreement with the previous experiments.

Establishment of reasonable 2-D model to investigate heat transfer and flow characteristics by using scale model of vessel cooling system for HTTR

Takada, Shoji; Ngarayana, I. W.*; Nakatsuru, Yukihiro*; Terada, Atsuhiko; Murakami, Kenta*; Sawa, Kazuhiro*

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 7(3), p.19-00536_1 - 19-00536_12, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.19-00536

In this study reasonable 2D model was established by using FLUENT for start-up of analysis and evaluation of heat transfer flow characteristics in 1/6 scale model of VCS for HTTR. By setting up pressure vessel temperature around 200C about relatively high ratio of heat transfer via natural convection in total heat removal around 20-30%, which is useful for code to experiment benchmark in the aspect to confirm accuracy to predict temperature distribution of components which is heated up by natural convection flow. The numerical results of upper head of pressure vessel by the --SST intermittency transition model, which can adequately reproduce the separation, re-adhesion and transition, reproduced the test results including temperature distribution well in contrast to those by the - model in both cases that helium gas is evacuated or filled in the pressure vessel. It was emerged that any local hot spot did not appear on the top of upper head of pressure vessel where natural convection flow of air is separated in both cases. In addition, the plume of high temperature helium gas generated by the heating of heater was well mixed in the upper head and uniformly heated the inner surface of upper head without generating hot spots.

Establishment of numerical model to investigate heat transfer and flow characteristics by using scale model of vessel cooling system for HTTR

Takada, Shoji; Ngarayana, I. W.*; Nakatsuru, Yukihiro*; Terada, Atsuhiko; Murakami, Kenta*; Sawa, Kazuhiko*

Proceedings of 27th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-27) (Internet), 13 Pages, 2019/05

In the loss of core cooling test using HTTR, a technical issue is to improve prediction accuracy of temperature distribution of components in vessel cooling system (VCS). An establishment of reasonable 2D model was started by using numerical code FLUENT, which was validated using the test data by 1/6 scale model of VCS for HTTR. The pressure vessel (PV) temperature was set around 200C attributed to relatively high ratio of natural convection heat transfer around 20% in total heat removal, which is useful for code to experiment benchmark to improve prediction accuracy. It is necessary to confirm heat transfer flow characteristics around the top of PV which is heated up by natural convection flow which was considered to be affected by separation, re-adhesion and transition flow. The k--SST model was selected for turbulent calculation attributed to predict the effects mentioned above adequately. The numerical results using the k--SST model reproduced the temperature distribution of PV especially the top region which is considered to be affected by separation, re-adhesion and transition flow in contract to that using k- model which does not account the effects.

Current R&D status of thermochemical water splitting hydrogen production iodine-sulfur process in Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 1; Hydrogen production test and component development

Takegami, Hiroaki; Noguchi, Hiroki; Tanaka, Nobuyuki; Iwatsuki, Jin; Kamiji, Yu; Kasahara, Seiji; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Terada, Atsuhiko; Kubo, Shinji

Proceedings of 9th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2018/10

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting R&D on the thermochemical iodine-sulfur (IS) process for nuclear-powered hydrogen production. The IS process is one of the promising candidates of heat application of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. JAEA fabricated main chemical reactors made of industrial structural materials and confirmed their integrity in practical corrosive environments in the IS process. Based on the results of these confirmation tests, JAEA have constructed a 100 NL/h-H-scale test facility made of industrial structural materials. This report will present an outline and results of hydrogen production tests and reliability improvements of operation stability and components, such as development of a strength estimation method for heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant ceramics components made of silicon carbide.

Design of HTTR-GT/H test plant

Yan, X.; Sato, Hiroyuki; Sumita, Junya; Nomoto, Yasunobu*; Horii, Shoichi*; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Kasahara, Seiji; Suzuki, Koichi*; Iwatsuki, Jin; Terada, Atsuhiko; et al.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 329, p.223 - 233, 2018/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.10.009

The pre-licensing design of an HTGR cogeneration test plant to be coupled to JAEA's existing test reactor HTTR is presented. The plant is designed to demonstrate the system of JAEA commercial plant design GTHTR300C. With construction planned to be completed around 2025, the test plant is expected to be the first-of-a-kind nuclear system operating on two of the advanced energy conversion systems attractive for the HTGR closed cycle helium gas turbine for power generation and thermochemical iodine-sulfur water-splitting process for hydrogen production.

HTTR-GT/H test plant; System design

Yan, X.; Sato, Hiroyuki; Sumita, Junya; Nomoto, Yasunobu; Horii, Shoichi; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Kasahara, Seiji; Suzuki, Koichi*; Iwatsuki, Jin; Terada, Atsuhiko; et al.

Proceedings of 8th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2016) (CD-ROM), p.827 - 836, 2016/11

Pre-licensing basic design for a cogenerating HTGR test plant system is presented. The plant to be coupled to existing 30 MWt 950C test reactor HTTR is intended as a system technology demonstrator for GTHTR300C plant design. More specifically the test plant of HTTR-GT/H aims to (1)demonstrate the licensability of the GTHTR300C for electricity production by gas turbine and hydrogen cogeneration by thermochemical process and (2) confirm the operation control and safety of such cogeneration system. With construction and operation completion by 2025, the test plant is expected to be the first of a kind HTGR-powered cogeneration plant operating on the two advanced energy conversion systems of closed cycle helium gas turbine for power generation and thermochemical iodine-sulfur water-splitting process for hydrogen production.

GTHTR300 cost reduction through design upgrade and cogeneration

Yan, X.; Sato, Hiroyuki; Kamiji, Yu; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Terada, Atsuhiko; Tachibana, Yukio; Kunitomi, Kazuhiko

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 306, p.215 - 220, 2016/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2016.02.023

The latest design upgrade has incorporated several major technological advances made in the past ten years to both reactor and balance of plant in GTHTR300. As described in this paper, these advances have enabled raising the design basis reactor core outlet temperature to 950C and increasing power generating efficiency by nearly 5% point. Further implementation of seawater desalination cogeneration is made through employing a newly-proposed multi-stage flash process. Through efficient waste heat recovery of the reactor gas turbine power conversion cycle, a large cost credit is obtained against the conventionally produced water prices. Together, the design upgrade and the cogeneration are shown to reduce the GTHTR300 cost of electricity to under 2.7 cent/kW h.

Heat transport analysis in a district heating system applying waste heat from GTHTR300, a commercial design of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor

Kasahara, Seiji; Murata, Tetsuya*; Kamiji, Yu; Terada, Atsuhiko; Yan, X.; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Mori, Michitsugu*

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 3(3), p.15-00616_1 - 15-00616_16, 2016/06

http://doi.org/10.1299/mej.15-00616

A district heating system for household heating and road snow melting utilizing waste heat from GTHTR300, a heat-electricity cogeneration design of high temperature gas-cooled reactor, was analyzed. The application area was Sapporo and Ishikari, cities with heavy snowfall in northern Japan. The heat transport analyses were performed by modeling components to estimate heat supply profile; the secondary loops between the GTHTR300s and the heat-application area; heat exchangers connecting the secondary loops to the tertiary loops of the district-heating pipes; and the tertiary loops between the heat exchangers and houses and roads. Though double pipes for the secondary loops were advantageous for having less heat loss and a smaller excavation area, these advantages did not compensate for the higher construct cost of the pipes. To satisfy heat demand in the month of maximum requirement, 520-529 MW of heat were supplied by 3 GTHTR300s and delivered by 6 secondary loops, 3,450 heat exchangers about 90 m long, and 3,450 tertiary loops. Heat loss to the ground from the tertiary loops comprised 80%-90% of the heat loss. More than 90% of the construction cost went into thermal insulators. The thickness and properties of the thermal insulator must be reevaluated for economical heat delivery.