Analysis on cooling behavior for simulated molten core material impinging to a horizontal plate in a sodium pool

Matsushita, Hatsuki*; Kobayashi, Ren*; Sakai, Takaaki*; Kato, Shinya; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji

Proceedings of 13th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (NUTHOS-13) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2022/09

During core disruptive accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors, the molten core material flows through flow channels, such as the control rod guide tubes, into the core inlet plenum under the core region. The molten core material can be cooled and solidified while impinging on a horizontal plate of the inlet plenum in a sodium coolant. However, the solidification and cooling behaviors of molten core materials impinged on a horizontal structure have not been sufficiently studied thus far. Notably, this is an important phenomenon that needs to be elucidated from the perspective of improving the safety of sodium-cooled fast reactors. Accordingly, a series of experiments on discharging a simulated molten core material (alumina: AlO) into a sodium coolant on a horizontal structure was conducted at the experimental facility of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this study, analyses on the sodium experiments using SIMMER-III as the fast reactor safety evaluation code were performed. The analysis methods were validated by comparing the results and experiment data. In addition, the cooling and solidification behaviors during jet impingement were evaluated. The results indicated that the molten core material exhibited fragmentation owing to the impingement on the horizontal plate and was, therefore, scattered toward the periphery. Furthermore, the simulated molten core material was evaluated to be cooled by sodium and subsequently solidified.

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.

A Numerical study on local fuel-coolant interactions in a simulated molten fuel pool using the SIMMER-III code

Cheng, S.; Matsuba, Kenichi; Isozaki, Mikio; Kamiyama, Kenji; Suzuki, Toru; Tobita, Yoshiharu

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 85, p.740 - 752, 2015/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2015.06.030

A Preliminary evaluation of unprotected loss-of-flow accident for a prototype fast-breeder reactor

Suzuki, Toru; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Kawada, Kenichi; Tagami, Hirotaka; Sogabe, Joji; Matsuba, Kenichi; Ito, Kei; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 47(3), p.240 - 252, 2015/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2015.03.001

An Evaluation study of measures for prevention of Re-criticality in sodium-cooled large FBR with MOX fuel

JNC TN9400 2000-038, 98 Pages, 2000/04

JNC-TN9400-2000-038.pdf:7.49MB

As an effort in the feasibility study on commercialized Fast Breeder Reactor cycle systems, an evaluation of the measures to prevent the energetic re-criticality in sodium-cooled large MOX core, which is one of the candidates for the commercialized reactor, has been performed. The core disruptive accident analysis of Demonstration FBR showed that the fuel compaction of the molten fuel by radial motion in a large molten core pool had a potential to drive the severe super-prompt re-criticality phenomena in ULOF sequence. ln order to prevent occurrence of the energetic re-criticality, a subassembly with an inner duct and the removal of a part of LAB are suggested based on CMR (Controlled Material Relocation) concept. The objective of this study is the comparison of the effectiveness of CMR among these measures by the analysis using SIMMER-III. The molten fuel in the subassembly with inner duct flows out faster than that from other measures. The subassembly with inner duct will work effectively in preventing energetic re-criticality. Though the molten fuel in the subassembly without a part of LAB flows out a little slower, it is still one of the promising measures. However, the UAB should be also removed from the same pin to prevent the fuel re-entries into the core region due to the pressurization by FCl below the core, unless it disturbs the core performance. The effect of the axial fuel length of the center pin to CMR behavior is small, compared to the effect of the existence of UAB.