Boundary condition free homogenization and evaluation of its performance in fast reactor core analysis

Maruyama, Shuhei

Proceedings of International Conference on Physics of Reactors 2022 (PHYSOR 2022) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2022/05

This paper proposes a new homogenization method, "Boundary Condition Free Homogenization (BCFH)". The traditional homogenization method separates the core calculation and the cell (assembly) calculation by assuming a specific boundary condition or a peripheral region in the cell calculation. Nevertheless, there are ambiguities and approximation in these assumptions, and they can also cause a decline in accuracy. BCFH aims to avoid these problems and improve the accuracy in the cell calculation such as homogenization. We imposed the conditions that the physical quantities in the cell related to the reaction rate preservation is preserved for any incoming partial current, during the homogenization. That is, the response matrices of cell average (or total) flux and outgoing partial current, to be the same form between heterogeneous and homogeneous system. As a result, homogenized parameters, such as cross-sections, superhomgenization factors, and discontinuity factors, are no longer dependent on a specific boundary condition. The new homogenized parameters obtained in this way are extended from the conventional vector form to the matrix form in BCFH. To investigate the performance of BCFH, numerical tests are done for the simplified models which originates in 750MW-class sodium-cooled fast reactor with MOX fuel core in Japan. It is found that BCFH is particularly effective in evaluating control rod reactivity worth and reaction rate distribution, compared to the traditional method. We conclude that the BCFH can be a promising homogenization concept for core neutronic analysis.

Experimental evaluation of wall shear stress in a double contraction nozzle using a water mock-up of a liquid Li target for an intense fusion neutron source

Kondo, Hiroo*; Kanemura, Takuji*; Park, C. H.*; Oyaizu, Makoto*; Hirakawa, Yasushi; Furukawa, Tomohiro

Fusion Engineering and Design, 146(Part A), p.285 - 288, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2018.12.047

Herein, the wall shear stress in a double contraction nozzle has been evaluated experimentally to produce a liquid lithium (Li) target as a beam target for intense fusion neutron sources such as the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), the Advanced Fusion Neutron Source (A-FNS), and the DEMO Oriented Neutron Source (DONES). The boundary layer thickness and wall shear stress are essential physical parameters to understand erosion-corrosion by the high-speed liquid Li flow in the nozzle, which is the key component in producing a stable Li target. Therefore, these parameters were experimentally evaluated using an acrylic mock-up of the target assembly. The velocity distribution in the nozzle was measured by a laser-doppler velocimeter and the momentum thickness along the nozzle wall was calculated using an empirical prediction method. The resulting momentum thickness was used to estimate the variation of the wall shear stress along the nozzle wall. Consequently, the wall shear stress was at the maximum in the second convergent section in front of the nozzle exit.

Uncertainty quantification of fracture boundary of pre-hydrided Zircaloy-4 cladding tube under LOCA conditions

Narukawa, Takafumi; Yamaguchi, Akira*; Jang, S.*; Amaya, Masaki

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 331, p.147 - 152, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.02.037

Nodal arrangements for boundary treatment in EFGM

Tian, R.; Nakajima, Norihiro; Yagawa, Genki

Keisan Kogaku Koenkai Rombunshu, 10(1), p.397 - 400, 2005/05

An attempt is made to treat boundary conditions in EFGM through only nodal arrangements. One of major merits of the proposed nodal arrangement scheme is its straightforwardness in implementation. The accuracy of this nodal arrangement boundary treatment and its influence on convergence are assessed by comparing with the Lagrange multiplier and penalty methods using one- and two- dimensional problems. The nodal arrangement scheme shows a same performance as the Lagrange multiplier and penalty methods in the one-dimensional tests, but it evidently outperforms the penalty method in the two-dimensional tests.

Probabilistic safety assessment of inflammable gas leakage in the HTTR hydrogen production system (Contract research)

Shimizu, Akira; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Moriyama, Koichi*

JAERI-Tech 2004-051, 69 Pages, 2004/06

JAERI-Tech-2004-051.pdf:4.68MB

HTTR of JAERI will be connected with a hydrogen production system by steam reforming of methane for development of nuclear heat utilization technology. This facility will handle much inflammable gas near the nuclear reactor so that special safety consideration is necessary. This report describes the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) of inflammable gas leakage in the HTTR hydrogen production system. Vessels and pipes, which contain flammable gas, were divided into several systems. Probability of gas leakage were calculated at all candidate places. As a result of assessment, the counter measures such as double-covered inflammable gas pipes, small diameter instrument pipes, leakage detector and emergency shut off valves, are confirmed to be very effective to minimize the scale of explosion and to prevent the damage on nuclear plant.

Damage evaluation techniques for FBR and LWR structural materials based on magnetic and corrosion properties along grain boundaries

Hoshiya, Taiji*; Takaya, Shigeru*; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Nagae, Yuji*; Miwa, Yukio; Abe, Yasuhiro*; Omi, Masao; Tsukada, Takashi; Aoto, Kazumi*

Transactions of the Materials Research Society of Japan, 29(4), p.1687 - 1690, 2004/06

JAERI and JNC have begun the cooperative research of evaluation techniques of structural material degradation in FBR and LWR, which based on magnetic and corrosion properties along grain boundaries. Magnetic method has been proposed as the one of the non-destructive detection techniques on the early stage of creep-damage before crack initiation for aged structural materials of FBRs. The effects of applied stress on natural magnetization were investigated on paramagnetic stainless steels having creep-damages. On the other hand, corrosion properties and magneto-optical characteristics of ion-irradiated stainless steels in the vicinity of grain boundaries were estimated by AFM and Kerr effect microscope, respectively. These degradations were induced by changes in characteristics in the vicinity of grain boundaries. It is found that the initial level of progressing process of damage can detect changes in magnetic and corrosion properties along grain boundaries of aged and degraded nuclear plants structural materials.

Progress of boundary plasma investigation toward ITER

Shimada, Michiya

Purazuma, Kaku Yugo Gakkai-Shi, 80(3), p.222 - 226, 2004/03

https://doi.org/10.1585/jspf.80.222

Discussion is made on objectives of edge plasma and plasma-wall interaction studies, divertor performance projection of ITER and key R&D issues on plasma-wall interaction including material issues, tritium retention, and transient events like ELMs and disruptions. A perspective of future development is discussed for the purpose of projection to and control of ITER plasma.

First-principles study on segregation energy and embrittling potency of hydrogen in Ni5(012) tilt grain boundary

Yamaguchi, Masatake; Shiga, Motoyuki; Kaburaki, Hideo

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 73(2), p.441 - 449, 2004/02

https://doi.org/10.1143/JPSJ.73.441

The electronic structures of 5(012) symmetrical tilt grain boundary (GB) and (012) free surface (FS) systems for nickel including hydrogen are calculated by the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method with the generalized gradient approximation. The difference of the binding energies between the 5(012)GB/FS site and the inner bulk site is obtained as the GB/FS segregation energy, and the difference between GB and FS segregation energies as the embrittling potency energy. The segregation position of hydrogen atom is determined by the force minimization. We find that hydrogen atom prefers 5(012)GB to inner bulk energetically by about 0.3 eV/H, while it prefers (012)FS to the GB by about 0.3-0.4 eV/H. The open space at GB may be occupied by an additional interstitial Ni atom since it increases the GB energy by only about 10%. In this case, the GB segregation energy of hydrogen reduces, which makes the segregation difficult. The calculated zero-point energies of hydrogen at inner bulk, GB, and FS sites are within 0.12-0.16eV/H.

Evaluation of corrosion behavior of ion irradiated stainless steel using atomic force microscope

Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Miwa, Yukio; Tsuji, Hirokazu; Tsukada, Takashi

Dai-12-Kai MAGDA Konfarensu (Oita) Koen Rombunshu, p.191 - 196, 2003/00

Development and research about analytical method for the study of corrosion behavior of austenitic stainless steel after irradiation was conducted from the point of view for basic study of IASCC (Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking). Ion irradiations were conducted with several irradiation conditions these were irradiation temperature, radiation damage, the contents of helium (He) implantation. AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) was used to evaluate surface condition of irradiated specimens after corrosion procedure. Corrosion condition was developed to obtain good surface condition of irradiated specimens to evaluate corrosion behavior by AFM. It was succeeded and corrosion behavior at inside of grains and grain boundaries of irradiated specimens was obtained. EBSP (Electron Backscatter Diffraction Pattern) was used to evaluate relation of corrosion behavior with grain boundary character. Moreover, relations of corrosion behavior with irradiation condition were discussed.

Tokamak MHD stability; Newcomb equation and boundary layer equations

Tokuda, Shinji

Theory of Fusion Plasmas, p.87 - 102, 2002/00

We report on recent development of solution methods of the Newcomb equation and boundary layer equations, which play important roles in MHD stability analysis of a tokamak. Especially, the two-dimensional Newcomb equation is applied to external modes and the method is desctribed for computing the stability matrix of the external modes.