Effectiveness evaluation methodology of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures at ultra-high temperature

Onoda, Yuichi; Kurisaka, Kenichi; Yamano, Hidemasa

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2023/05

The objective of this study is to develop an effectiveness evaluation methodology of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures at ultra-high temperature by using the failure mitigation technology. At the beginning, to identify the accident sequences having the potential to improve resilience, the characteristics of a next-generation loop-type sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) in Japan has been investigated by analyzing the event tree of level-1 and level-2 probabilistic risk assessment. As a result, event sequences of loss of heat removal systems (LOHRS) are identified. The effectiveness of the measures for improving resilience is evaluated by quantifying the reduction rate of core damage frequency before and after the introduction of the measures for improving resilience for all the accident sequences leading to LOHRS. To examine applicability of the developed methodology, a trial evaluation has conducted for a next-generation loop-type SFR in Japan. Through the applicability examined, the method for the effectiveness evaluation was developed successfully. The refinement of the conditional success probability of the measures for improving resilience is the future work.

Evaluation of detectability of pump/diagrid link rupture in pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor

Onoda, Yuichi; Uchita, Masato*; Tokizaki, Minako*; Okazaki, Hitoshi*

Proceedings of 29th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 29) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE29-91688

The safety analyses were carried out to confirm the sufficiency of the function of the plant protection system against the pump/diagrid link rupture. The target plant is a pool-type SFR of about 600 MWe class equipped with an axially homogeneous core currently under development in Japan. In the pool-type SFR, the primary system piping connects primary pump and the high-pressure sodium plenum located at the inlet of fuel sub-assemblies and called "pump/diagrid link". Because this piping is submerged in the reactor vessel, it is difficult to detect small scale sodium leakage in this piping, and thus a certain large pipe break like guillotine should be assumed and evaluated as a design basis event. In order to confirm the detectability of pump/diagrid link rupture by safety protection system signals, a series of analyses of the guillotine break for a pump/diagrid link were carried out. Sensitivity study had also been performed to consider the uncertainty of the reactivity coefficient in the analyses. The sufficiency of the function of the plant protection system against the pump/diagrid link rupture was confirmed by the analysis results that at least two signals are transmitted for the detection of the event, which is the development target of the plant protection system in pool-type SFR.

France-Japan collaboration on thermodynamic and kinetic studies of core material mixture in severe accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors

Quaini, A.*; Goss, S.*; Payot, F.*; Suteau, C.*; Delacroix, J.*; Saas, L.*; Gubernatis, P.*; Martin-Lopez, E.*; Yamano, Hidemasa; Takai, Toshihide; et al.

Proceedings of International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles; Sustainable Clean Energy for the Future (FR22) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2022/04

CEA and JAEA defined new sub-tasks under the current implementing arrangement: Kinetics of interaction in core material mixtures- Physical properties of core material mixtures, High temperature thermodynamic data for the UO-Fe-BC system, Experimental studies on BC-SS kinetics and BC-SS eutectic material relocation (freezing), BC/SS eutectic and kinetics models for SIMMER code systems, Methodology for the modelling of mixtures liquefaction kinetics. The paper describes major R&D results obtained in the France-Japan collaboration under the previous implementing arrangement as well as experimental and analytical roadmaps under the current arrangement.

Modelling and simulation of the source term for a sodium cooled fast reactor under hypothetical severe accident conditions; Final report of a coordinated research project

Arokiaswamy, J. A.*; Batra, C.*; Chang, J. E.*; Garcia, M.*; Herranz, L. E.*; Klimonov, I. A.*; Kriventsev, V.*; Li, S.*; Liegeard, C.*; Mahanes, J.*; et al.

IAEA-TECDOC-2006, 380 Pages, 2022/00

https://www.iaea.org/publications/15086/modelling-and-simulation-of-the-source-term-for-a-sodium-cooled-fast-reactor-under-hypothetical-severe-accident-conditions

The IAEA coordinated research project on "Radioactive Release from the Prototype Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor under Severe Accident Conditions" was devoted to realistic numerical simulation of fission products and fuel particles inventory inside the reference sodium cooled fast reactor volumes under severe accident conditions at different time scales. The scope of analysis was divided into three parts, defined as three work packages (WPs): (1) in-vessel source term estimation; (2) primary system/containment system interface source term estimation; and, (3) in-containment phenomenology analysis. Comparison of the results obtained in WP-1 indicates that the release fractions of noble gases and cesium radionuclides, and fractions of radionuclides released to the cover gas are in a good agreement. In the analysis using a common pressure history in WP-2, the results were in good agreement indicating that the accuracy of the analysis method of each institution is almost the same. The standalone case, which uses a set of pre-defined release fractions, was defined for WP-3 which enables to decouple this part of analysis from previous WPs. There is broad consensus among the predicted results by all the participants in WP-3.

Numerical investigations on the coolability and the re-criticality of a debris bed with the density-stratified configuration

Li, C.-Y.; Uchibori, Akihiro; Takata, Takashi; Pellegrini, M.*; Erkan, N.*; Okamoto, Koji*

Dai-25-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2021/07

The capability of stable cooling and avoiding re-criticality on the debris bed are the main issues for achieving IVR (In-Vessel Retention). In the actual situation, the debris bed is composed of mixed-density debris particles. Hence, when these mixed-density debris particles were launched to re-distribute, the debris bed would possibly form a density-stratified distribution. For the proper evaluation of this scenario, the multi-physics model of CFD-DEM-Monte-Carlo based neutronics is established to investigate the coolability and re-criticality on the heterogeneous density-stratified debris bed with considering the particle relocation. The CFD-DEM model has been verified by utilizing water injection experiments on the mixed-density particle bed in the first portion of this research. In the second portion, the coupled system of the CFD-DEM-Monte-Carlo based neutronics model is applied to reactor cases. Afterward, the debris particles' movement, debris particles' and coolant's temperature, and the k-eff eigenvalue are successfully tracked. Ultimately, the relocation and stratification effects on debris bed's coolability and re-criticality had been quantitatively confirmed.

Experiments of self-wastage phenomena elucidation in steam generator tube of sodium-cooled fast reactor

Umeda, Ryota; Shimoyama, Kazuhito; Kurihara, Akikazu

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 19(4), p.234 - 244, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J19.012

Sodium-water reaction caused by failure of the steam generator tube of sodium-cooled fast reactor induce the wastage phenomenon, which has erosive and corrosive feature. In this report, the authors have performed the self-wastage experiments under high sodium temperature condition to evaluate the effect of wastage form/geometry by using two types of initial defect such as the micro fine pinhole and fatigue crack, and water leak rate on self-wastage rate. Based on the consideration of crack type influence, it was confirmed that self-wastage rate did not strongly depend on the initial defect geometry. As a mechanism of the self-plug phenomenon, it is speculated that sodium oxide intervenes and inhibits the progress of self-wastage. The dependence of initial sodium temperature on self-wastage rate was clearly observed, and new self-wastage correlation was derived considering the initial sodium temperature.

Innovation for flexible use of nuclear power in JAEA

Kamide, Hideki; Shibata, Taiju

NREL/TP-6A50-77088 (Internet), p.35 - 38, 2020/09

Prototype fast breeder reactor Monju; Its history and achievements (Translated document)

Mitsumoto, Rika; Hazama, Taira; Takahashi, Keita; Kondo, Satoru

JAEA-Technology 2019-020, 167 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Technology-2019-020.pdf:21.06MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution1.pdf:47.3MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution2.pdf:34.99MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution3.pdf:48.74MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution4.pdf:47.83MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution5.pdf:18.35MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution6.pdf:49.4MB
JAEA-Technology-2019-020-high-resolution7.pdf:39.78MB

The prototype fast breeder reactor Monju has produced valuable technological achievements through design, construction, operation and maintenance over half a century since 1968. This report compiles the reactor technologies developed for Monju, including the areas: history and major achievements, design and construction, commissioning, safety, reactor physics, fuel, systems and components, sodium technology, materials and structures, operation and maintenance, and accidents and failures.

A Validation study of a neutronics design methodology for fast reactors using reaction rate distribution measurements in the prototype fast reactor Monju

Ohgama, Kazuya; Takegoshi, Atsushi; Katagiri, Hiroki*; Hazama, Taira

Proceedings of 2019 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2019) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2019/05

Impact of safety design enhancements on construction cost of the advanced sodium loop fast reactor in Japan

Kato, Atsushi; Mukaida, Kyoko

Proceedings of 2019 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2019) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2019/05

Improvement of economic competitiveness is a part of key requirement in the project. By adopting innovative technologies to reduce plant commodities, JSFR could achieve economic competitiveness compared with LWR. After the Fukushima-Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants accident, safety enhancement measures were added on LWR in Japan mainly against external hazards. In parallel, Safety Design Criteria and Guidelines (SDC/SDG) for SFR were constructed in the framework of Generation IV international forum. Design studies of JSFR were carried out responding to GIF SDC/SDG and lessons learn from the Fukushima accident. This reports an impact of recent safety design enhancements on JSFR construction cost. Safety design enhancement adopted in JSFR.