Design study of beam window for accelerator-driven system with subcriticality adjustment rod

Sugawara, Takanori; Eguchi, Yuta; Obayashi, Hironari; Iwamoto, Hiroki; Matsuda, Hiroki; Tsujimoto, Kazufumi

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2018/07

A new beam window concept for accelerator-driven system (ADS) is investigated by changing the design condition. The most important factor for the beam window design is the proton beam current. The design condition will be mitigated if the proton beam current will be reduced. To reduce the proton beam current, a subcriticality adjustment rod (SAR) which was a BC control rod was employed and neutronics calculations were performed by ADS3D code. The results of the neutronics calculation indicated that the proton beam current was reduced from 20mA to 13.5mA by the installation of SARs. Based on the mitigated calculation condition, the investigation of the beam window was performed by the couple analyses of the particle transport, the thermal hydraulics and the structural analysis. Through these coupled analyses, more feasible beam window concept which was the hemispherical shape, the outer diameter = 470mm, the thickness at the top = 3.5mm and factor of safety =9 was presented.

Epistemic Uncertainty Quantification of Floor Responses for a Nuclear Reactor Building

Choi, B.; Nishida, Akemi; Li, Y.; Muramatsu, Ken*; Takada, Tsuyoshi*

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2018/07

After the 2011 Fukushima accident, nuclear power plants are required to take countermeasures against accidents beyond design basis conditions. In seismic probabilistic risk assessment (SPRA), uncertainty can be classified as either aleatory uncertainty, which cannot be reduced, or epistemic uncertainty, which can be reduced with additional knowledge and/or information. To improve the reliability of SPRA, efforts should be made to identify and reduce the epistemic uncertainty caused by the lack of knowledge. In this study, we focused on the difference in seismic response by modeling methods, which is related epistemic uncertainty. We conducted a seismic response analysis with two kinds of modeling methods; a three-dimensional finite-element model and a conventional sway-rocking stick model, by using simulated various input ground motions, which is related to aleatory uncertainty. And then we quantified the seismic floor response results of the various input ground motions of each modeling methods. For the uncertainty quantification related to different modeling methods, we further perform a statistical analysis of the floor response results of the nuclear reactor building. Finally, we discussed how to utilize the results from these calculations for the quantification of uncertainty in fragility analysis for SPRA.

Creep deformation analysis of a pipe specimen based on creep damage evaluation method

Katsuyama, Jinya; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Li, Y.

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2018/07

It has become more important to develop methods for evaluating failure behavior of the nuclear components under severe conditions. We are researching on prediction methods of creep deformation and failure behavior of the nuclear components under elevated temperature conditions based on finite element analysis. In this study, as a part of a project called COSSAL, we performed failure analysis of a large scale pipe experiment to validate our prediction methods based on a creep damage evaluation method. We conclude that creep constitutive law that consider material damage can provide the highest accurate analysis.

Evaluation of local damage to reinforced concrete panels subjected to oblique impact of rigid and soft missiles

Nishida, Akemi; Nagai, Minoru*; Tsubota, Haruji; Li, Y.

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2018/07

Many empirical formulas have been proposed for evaluating local damage to reinforced concrete (RC) structures caused by impacts of rigid missiles. Most of these formulas have been derived based on impact tests normal to the target structures. Up to now, few impact tests oblique to the target structures have been carried out. This study has been conducted with the purpose of proposing a new formula for evaluating the local damage caused by oblique impacts based on previous experimental and simulation results. In this paper, the results of simulation analyses for evaluating the local damage to a RC panel subjected to normal and oblique impacts by rigid and soft missiles, by using the simulation method that was validated using the results of previous impact experiments. Based on the results of these simulation analyses, the effects of the rigidity of the missile as well as the impact angle on the local damage to the target structures are clarified.

Level 1 PRA for external vessel storage tank of Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor in scheduled refueling

Yamano, Hidemasa; Naruto, Kenichi*; Kurisaka, Kenichi; Nishino, Hiroyuki; Okano, Yasushi

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2018/07

Spent fuels are transferred from a reactor core to a spent fuel pool through an external vessel storage tank (EVST) filled with sodium in sodium-cooled fast reactors in Japan. This paper describes identification of dominant accident sequences leading to fuel failure by conducting probabilistic risk assessment for EVST designed for a next sodium-cooled fast reactor plant system in Japan to improve the EVST design. Based on the design information, this study has carried out identification of initiating events, event and fault tree analyses, human error probability analysis, and quantification of accident sequences. Fuel damage frequency of the EVST was evaluated approx. 10 /year in this paper. By considering the secondary sodium freezing, the fuel damage frequency was twice increased. The dominant accident sequence resulted from the common cause failure of the damper opening and/or the human error for the switching from the stand-by to the operation mode in the three stand-by cooling circuits. The importance analyses have indicated high risk contributions.

Proposal of a simple evaluation method for sloshing impact pressure on flat roofs

Takaya, Shigeru; Fujisaki, Tatsuya*

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2018/07

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE26-82562

Sloshing is one of important issues for both loop-type and tank-type fast reactors with free liquid surface. Periods of seismic vibration are lengthened by base isolation systems installed to prevent damages to facilities during earthquakes, and get close to the natural periods of sloshing. As a result, sloshing is promoted. Sloshing waves are assumed to even reach a roof slab of a reactor vessel in severe seismic conditions. It is important to evaluate structural integrity for sloshing impacts on roofs. However, there are not any established evaluation methods for impact pressure on flat roofs yet. Therefore, in this study, a simple evaluation method is proposed based on Wagner's theory. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated using computational fluid dynamics analysis and literature data of sloshing experiments.

Discussion about sodium-concrete reaction in presence of internal heater

Kawaguchi, Munemichi; Miyahara, Shinya; Uno, Masayoshi*

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2018/07

Sodium-concrete reaction (SCR) is one of the important phenomena during severe accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) owing to the presence of large sources of hydrogen and aerosols in the containment vessel. In this study, SCR experiments with an internal heater (800C) were performed to investigate the chemical reaction under the internal heater. Furthermore, the effects of the internal heater on the self-termination mechanism were discussed. Because the internal heater hindered the transport of Na, the moisture in the concrete, and reaction products, Na could permeate and react with the surface concrete at the periphery of the internal heater. As the SCR proceeded, the reaction products accumulated under the internal heater and disturbed the Na diffusion. Therefore, the Na concentration under the internal heater decreased relatively lower, and the concrete ablation depth under the internal heater decreased compared to that under the periphery of the internal heater. However, the Na concentration around the reaction front was about 30 wt.% despite the position of the internal heater. The Na concentration was similar to that of NaSiO, which was almost same as that in our past study. It was found that the Na concentration condition was one of the dominant parameters for the self-termination of SCR, even in the presence of the internal heater.

Development of experimental technology for simulated fuel-assembly heating to address core-material-relocation behavior during severe accident

Abe, Yuta; Yamashita, Takuya; Sato, Ikken; Nakagiri, Toshio; Ishimi, Akihiro; Nagae, Yuji

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2018/07

https://asme.pinetec.com/icone26/

Three-dimensional numerical study on pool stratification behavior in molten corium-concrete interaction (MCCI) with MPS method

Li, X.; Sato, Ikken; Yamaji, Akifumi*; Duan, G.*

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2018/07

Molten corium-concrete interaction (MCCI) is an important ex-vessel phenomenon that could happen during the late phase of a hypothetical severe accident in a light water reactor. In the present study, a three-dimensional (3-D) numerical study has been performed to simulate COMET-L3 test carried out by KIT with a stratified molten pool configuration of simulant materials with improved MPS method. The heat transfer between corium/crust/concrete was modeled with heat conduction between particles. Moreover, the potential influence of the siliceous aggregates was also investigated by setting up two different case studies since there was previous study indicating that siliceous aggregates in siliceous concrete might contribute to different axial and radial concrete ablation rates. The simulation results have indicated that metal melt as corium in MCCI can have completely different characteristics regarding concrete ablation pattern from that of oxidic corium, which needs to be taken into consideration when assessing the containment melt-through time in severe accident management.

Mechanism of flashing phenomena induced by microwave heating

Fujita, Shunya*; Abe, Yutaka*; Kaneko, Akiko*; Yuasa, Tomohisa*; Segawa, Tomoomi; Yamada, Yoshikazu; Kato, Yoshiyuki; Ishii, Katsunori

Proceedings of 26th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-26) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2018/07

Mixed uranium oxide and plutonium oxide powder is produced from uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate mixed solution by the microwave heating denitration method in the spent fuel reprocessing process. Since the microwave heating method is accompanied by a boiling phenomenon, it is necessary to fully grasp the operating conditions in order to avoid flashing and spilling in the mass production of denitrification technology for the future. In this research, it was confirmed that a potassium chloride aqueous solution as a simulant of uranyl nitrate aqueous solution with high dielectric loss cause loss of microwave at the solution surface as the dielectric loss increased with the increase of KCl concentration by experimental and electromagnetic field analysis, and revealed that the change in the heating condition affects the generation of flushing.