Development of coupling technology for high temperature gas-cooled reactors and hydrogen production facility; HTTR heat application test project plan

Ishii, Katsunori; Morita, Keisuke; Noguchi, Hiroki; Aoki, Takeshi; Mizuta, Naoki; Hasegawa, Takeshi; Nagatsuka, Kentaro; Nomoto, Yasunobu; Shimizu, Atsushi; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; et al.

Dai-27-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.1299/jsmepes.2023.27.A242

Improvement of cooling performance of reactor pressure vessel using passive cooling

Banno, Masaki*; Funatani, Shumpei*; Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi

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

A fundamental study on the safety of a passive cooling system for the RPV with radiative cooling is conducted. The object of this study is to demonstrate that passive RPV cooling system with radiative cooling is extremely safe and reliable even in the event of natural disasters. Therefore, an experimental apparatus, which is about 1/20 scale of the actual cooling system, was fabricated with several stainless steel containers. The surface of the heating element in the experimental apparatus simulates the surface of the RPV, and the heating element generates natural convection and radiation. A comparison of the Grashof number between the actual cooling system and the experimental apparatus confirmed that both were turbulent, and the experimental results as a scale model are valuable. Moreover, the experimental results confirmed that the heat generated from the surface of the RPV during the rated operation can be removed.

Development of 1D-CFD coupling method through benchmark analyses of SHRT tests in EBR-II

Yoshimura, Kazuo; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki; Fujisaki, Tatsuya*; Murakami, Satoshi*; Vilim, R. B.*

Proceedings of 19th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-19) (Internet), 16 Pages, 2022/03

In Japan Atomic Energy Agency, the multilevel simulation system which enables consistent evaluation from the whole plant behavior to the local phenomena is being developed to optimize plant design and enhance the safety of sodium-cooled fast reactors. To validate the coupling method in the MLS system, the 1D-CFD coupling method using Super-COPD for 1D plant dynamics analysis and Fluent for multi-dimensional CFD analysis was applied to the analyses of loss of flow tests in EBR-II. It was confirmed that it could predict multi-dimensional thermal-hydraulic phenomena such as thermal stratification in the upper plenum, Z-shaped pipe, and cold pool, holding the whole plant behavior simultaneously. Moreover, the applicability of the 1D-CFD coupling method to the evaluation of the phenomena in natural circulation conditions was confirmed by comparing the results of the 1D-CFD couple analyses and the measured data.

Design and demonstration of the prototype nitrogen circulation refining system for nitride fuel fabrication (Contract research)

Iwasa, Toma; Takano, Masahide

JAEA-Technology 2020-024, 29 Pages, 2021/03

JAEA-Technology-2020-024.pdf:2.33MB

Partitioning and transmutation of minor actinides (MA) is an important issue to reduce volume and radio-toxicity of high-level radioactive wastes. In Nuclear Science Research Institute, we have been carrying out R&D on MA-bearing nitride fuel for accelerator driven system. In the actual nitride fuel fabrication process, a special nitrogen gas highly enriched with N is required to avoid C production from N by (n,p) reaction in the fuel. For the economical use of such expensive gas, we need a nitrogen circulation refining system that can remove carbon monoxide (CO) evolved by carbothermic nitridation of oxides and can use the nitrogen gas in the closed system without loss. To develop the system, at first we listed up the performance requirements, and then designed and assembled a prototype system for laboratory-scale demonstration. The system consists of CO removal unit and circulation unit that can automatically keep the system pressure and the gas flow rate constant. As a result of demonstration on the nitridation of oxide, both units completely satisfy the requirements. We confirmed that the concept can be applied to the actual fuel fabrication with further additional function such as automatic hydrogen feed for the control of decarburization.

Development of numerical estimation method for thermal hydraulics in reactor vessel of sodium-cooled fast reactor under decay heat removal system operation conditions; Preliminary thermal hydraulics simulation for simulated reactor vessel in sodium experimental apparatus PLANDTL-2

Tanaka, Masaaki; Ono, Ayako; Hamase, Erina; Ezure, Toshiki; Miyake, Yasuhiro*

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Kanto Shibu Ibaraki Koenkai 2018 Koen Rombunshu (CD-ROM), 4 Pages, 2018/08

Decay heat removal system (DHRS) by using the natural circulation without depending on the pump as the mechanical equipment is recognized as one of the most effective methodologies for the sodium-cooled fast reactor from the viewpoint of the safety enhancement. The numerical estimation method which can predict thermal hydraulic phenomena in the natural circulation under the plant cooling process by operating the various DHRSs including the severe accident is necessarily required. In this paper, the numerical results of the preliminary analysis for the sodium experiment condition with the apparatus of PLANDTL-2, in which the core and the upper plenum with a dipped-type direct heat exchanger (DHX) were modeled, were discussed, in order to establish an appropriate numerical models for the direct heat exchanger (DHX).

Study on applicability of fast reactor plant dynamics analysis code to core thermal hydraulics under natural circulation decay heat removal conditions

Hamase, Erina; Doda, Norihiro; Nabeshima, Kunihiko; Ono, Ayako; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 83(848), p.16-00431_1 - 16-00431_11, 2017/04

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.16-00431

A plant dynamics analysis code Super-COPD is being developed in JAEA for the design and safety assessments of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). In this study, the friction loss coefficients in the whole core thermal-hydraulic model was modified to improve the prediction accuracy of the sodium temperature distribution in a fuel subassembly under the natural circulation conditions. The modified whole core model was applied to analyses of experiments that were performed by using JAEA's test facility PLANDTL as a part of the code validation study. The obtained numerical results of sodium temperature distributions in the core showed good agreement with the measured data. It implies that the modified whole core model can properly reproduce dominant thermal-hydraulic phenomena in the core region under natural circulation conditions, i.e., flow redistribution among fuel subassemblies as well as in a fuel subassembly and inter-subassembly heat transfer.

Benchmark analysis of EBR-II shutdown heat removal test-17 using of plant dynamics analysis code and subchannel analysis code

Doda, Norihiro; Ohira, Hiroaki; Kamide, Hideki

Proceedings of 2016 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2016) (CD-ROM), p.1618 - 1625, 2016/04

Sodium-cooled fast reactors have been developed aiming at introducing natural circulation decay heat removal systems by utilizing the characteristic of having a large coolant temperature difference between at the inlet and at the outlet of reactor vessel. In this study, as part of validation for core hot spot evaluation method which is required for adoption of natural circulation decay heat removal systems, an analysis of EBR-II (Experimental Breeder Reactor II) shutdown heat removal test using the method was performed. The results demonstrated that the evaluation method sufficiently predicts the whole plant thermal hydraulic behaviors and the maximum coolant temperature in a fuel subassembly during natural circulation decay heat removal operations.

Process evaluation of use of High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors to an ironmaking system based on Active Carbon Recycling Energy System

Hayashi, Kentaro*; Kasahara, Seiji; Kurihara, Kohei*; Nakagaki, Takao*; Yan, X.; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Ogawa, Masuro

ISIJ International, 55(2), p.348 - 358, 2015/02

https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.55.348

Reducing coking coal consumption and CO emissions by application of iACRES (ironmaking system based on active carbon recycling energy system) was investigated using process flow modeling to show effectiveness of HTGRs (high temperature gas-cooled reactors) adoption to iACRES. Two systems were evaluated: a SOEC (solid oxide electrolysis cell) system using CO electrolysis and a RWGS (reverse water-gas shift reaction) system using RWGS reaction with H produced by IS (iodine-sulfur) process. Both the effects on saving of the coking coal and reduction of CO emissions were greater in the RWGS system. It was the reason of the result that excess H which was not consumed in the RWGS reaction was used as reducing agent in the BF as well as CO. Heat balance in the HTGR, SOEC and RWGS modules were evaluated to clarify process components to be improved. Optimization of the SOEC temperature was desired to reduce Joule heat input for high efficiency operation of the SOEC system. Higher H production thermal efficiency in the IS process for the RWGS system is effective for more efficient HTGR heat utilization. The SOEC system was able to utilize HTGR heat to reduce CO emissions more efficiently by comparing CO emissions reduction per unit heat of HTGR.

Process modeling of iACRES by ASPEN Plus and evaluation of the whole system

Hayashi, Kentaro*; Suzuki, Katsuki*; Kurihara, Kohei*; Nakagaki, Takao*; Kasahara, Seiji

Tanso Junkan Seitetsu Kenkyukai Saika Hokokusho; Tanso Junkan Seitetsu No Tenkai, p.27 - 41, 2015/02

Applying Active Carbon Recycling Energy System to ironmaking (iACRES) process is a promising technology to reduce coal usage and CO emissions. To evaluate performance of iACRES quantitatively, a process flow diagram of the blast furnace model with iACRES was developed using Aspen Plus. CO emission reduction and exergy analysis was predicted by using mass and energy balance obtained from the simulation results. The followings were investigated as iACRES: solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) with CO capture and separation (CCS), SOEC without CCS, and a reverse water-gas shift reactor as the a CO reduction reactor powered by a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. iACRES could provide CO emission reductions of 3-11% by recycling CO and H, whereas the effective exergy ratio decreased by 1-7%.

Characterization of JT-60U exhaust gas during experimental operation

Isobe, Kanetsugu; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Kaminaga, Atsushi; Tsuzuki, Kazuhiro; Higashijima, Satoru; Nishi, Masataka; Kobayashi, Yasunori*; Konishi, Satoshi*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 81(1-7), p.827 - 832, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2005.09.039

Exhaust gas from JT-60U during experimental operation has been measured with Gas Chromatography (GC), and the gas exhaust characteristic from JT-60U on plasma discharge conditions has been investigated during the JT-60U experimental campaign in 2003-2004. During experimental operation of JT-60U, hydrogen isotope concentration strongly depended on the type of discharges such as high performance, long pulse and so on. On the other hand, impurity species, such as helium, hydrocarbon and carbon oxide, were detected during plasma discharges occasionally. During the experimental operation, plasma disruption remarkably tended to produce high concentration impurities. Glow discharge and Taylor discharge for wall conditioning also produced impurities. In the case of normal plasma, impurity was detected and high performance plasma, such as high plasma, tended to produce high concentration impurities. This result indicated that impurities concentration might be higher in the case of normal plasma in ITER, because of its high performance.