Development of new treatment of fuel isotope vector in the core disruptive accident analysis of fast reactors

Tagami, Hirotaka; Ishida, Shinya; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(12), p.1548 - 1562, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2224333

In a design of future Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor, there is a demand for evaluation of sequences and consequences of core disruptive accidents. Future SFRs include a unique core design with axially or horizontally heterogeneous core arrangement having complex fuel isotope distribution. A new model to flexibly represent fuel isotope distribution, called the Pu-vector model, has been developed in this study for inclusion in the SIMMER-III and SIMMER-IV codes (simply called as SIMMER). The model calculates movement of individual fuel isotopes, assuming they always accompany the convecting fuel in the fluid-dynamics model. The accuracy of the Pu-vector model was confirmed by comparing with the standard Monte Carlo static neutronics calculation. The new model can improve some of the limitations in the current SIMMER code, in which the fuel isotopes are represented only by two groups, fertile and fissile fuels. Assignment of a number of fuel isotopes to the two groups requires a detailed examination of different combinations of fuel isotopes to determine an optimized combination. The Pu-vector model can eliminate this complicated procedure to be performed prior to a SIMMER analysis, and more importantly provides accurate spatial distribution of fuel isotopes and thus will improve the applicability of SIMMER to the analyses of future large heterogeneous reactors.

Study on safety characteristics of a sodium-cooled fast reactor with negative void reactivity during initiating phase in severe accident

Ishida, Shinya; Fukano, Yoshitaka; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Okano, Yasushi

Proceedings of 2023 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2023) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2023/04

Phase 1 code assessment of SIMMER-III; A Computer program for LMFR core disruptive accident analysis

Kondo, Satoru; Tobita, Yoshiharu

JAEA-Research 2019-009, 382 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Research-2019-009.pdf:22.82MB

The SIMMER-III computer code, developed at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA, the former Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation), is a two-dimensional, multi-velocity-field, multi-component fluid-dynamics code, coupled with a space- and time-dependent neutron kinetics model. The code is being used widely for simulating complex phenomena during core-disruptive accidents (CDAs) in liquid-metal fast reactors (LMFRs). In parallel to the code development, a comprehensive assessment program was performed in two phases: Phase 1 for verifying individual fluid-dynamics models; and Phase 2 for validating its applicability to integral phenomena important to evaluating LMFR CDAs. The SIMMERIII assessment program was participated by European research and development organizations, and the achievement of Phase 1 was compiled and synthesized in 1996. This report has been edited by revising and reproducing the original 1996 informal report, which compiled the achievement of Phase 1 assessment. A total of 34 test problems were studied in the areas: fluid convection, interfacial area and momentum exchange, heat transfer, melting and freezing, and vaporization and condensation. The problems identified have been reflected to the Phase 2 assessment and later model development and improvement. Although the revisions were made in the light of knowledge base obtained later, the original individual contributions by the participants, both positive and negative, are retained except for editorial changes.

Improvement of a physical model for blockage formation of solid-liquid mixture flow with freezing for core safety evaluation of SFRs

Aoyagi, Mitsuhiro; Kamiyama, Kenji; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(5), p.530 - 538, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1417172

Experimental study on debris bed characteristics for the sedimentation behavior of solid particles used as simulant debris

Shamsuzzaman, M.*; Horie, Tatsuro*; Fuke, Fusata*; Kamiyama, Motoki*; Morioka, Toru*; Matsumoto, Tatsuya*; Morita, Koji*; Tagami, Hirotaka; Suzuki, Toru*; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 111, p.474 - 486, 2018/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2017.09.011

Study on In-Vessel Retention (IVR) of unprotected accident for fast reactor, 2; Assessment of PAMR/PAHR phase in ULOF

Sogabe, Joji; Suzuki, Toru; Wada, Yusaku; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 83(848), p.16-00393_1 - 16-00393_10, 2017/04

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.16-00393

The achievement of In-Vessel Retention (IVR) of the accident consequences in an unprotected loss of flow (ULOF), which is one of the technically inconceivable events postulated beyond design basis, is effective and rational approach in enhancing the safety characteristics of sodium-cooled fast reactor. The objective of the present study is to show that the decay heat generated from the relocated fuels would be stably removed in post-accident-material-relocation/post-accident-heat-removal (PAMR/PAHR) phase, where the relocated fuels mean fuel discharged from the core into the low-pressure plenum through control-rod guide tubes, and fuel remnant in the disrupted core region (non-discharged fuel). As a result of the present assessments, it should be concluded that the stable cooling of the relocated fuels was confirmed and the prospect of IVR was obtained.

Event sequence analysis of core disruptive accident in a metal-fueled sodium-cooled fast reactor

Yamano, Hidemasa; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Kubo, Shigenobu; Ueda, Nobuyuki*

Proceedings of 10th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS-10) (USB Flash Drive), 10 Pages, 2016/11

In this study, the event sequence analysis of CDA in a large metal-fueled SFR has been performed in order to investigate reactivity progression and molten fuel relocation behavior in the metal-fueled SFR. The initiating phase analysis during the CDA initiated by unprotected loss-of-flow accidents has been conducted using the CANIS code, which showed a small power peak. Using the initial conditions based on the initiating phase analysis, the SIMMER-III code was applied to a whole-core scale analyses to clarify the event sequence including the reactivity progression and molten fuel relocation. As a result, recriticality in the whole core analysis resulted in a very mild energy release. The mild energy release in the metal-fueled core can be attributed to the small specific heat of metal fuel and the large prompt negative reactivity feedback mechanism.

Improvements to the simmer code model for steel wall failure based on EAGLE-1 test results

Toyooka, Junichi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Suzuki, Toru

Proceedings of 10th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS-10) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2016/11

Study on In-Vessel Retention (IVR) of unprotected accident for fast reactor, 2; Assessment of PAMR/PAHR phase in ULOF

Sogabe, Joji; Suzuki, Toru; Wada, Yusaku; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Dai-21-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (USB Flash Drive), 3 Pages, 2016/06

no abstracts in English

Experimental discussion on fragmentation mechanism of molten oxide discharged into a sodium pool

Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Toyooka, Junichi; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Zuyev, V. A.*; Kolodeshnikov, A. A.*; Vassiliev, Y. S.*

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 3(3), p.15-00595_1 - 15-00595_8, 2016/06

http://doi.org/10.1299/mej.15-00595

To develop a method for evaluating the distance for fragmentation of molten core material discharged into sodium, the particle size distribution of alumina debris obtained in the FR tests was analyzed. The mass median diameters of solidified alumina particles were around 0.3 mm, which are comparable to particle sizes predicted by hydrodynamic instability theories such as Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. However, even though hydrodynamic instability theories predict that particle size decreases with an increase of Weber number, such the dependence of particle size on We was not observed in the FR tests. It can be interpreted that this tendency of measured mass median suggests that before hydrodynamic instabilities sufficiently grow to induce fragmentation, thermal phenomena such as local coolant vaporization and resultant vapor expansion accelerate fragmentation.