Safety of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

Safety of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors
Author: Songbai Cheng
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2021-09-27
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9811661162

This book highlights the advances and trends in the safety analysis of sodium-cooled fast reactors, especially from the perspective of particle bed-related phenomena during core disruptive accidents. A sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is an optimized candidate of the next-generation nuclear reactor systems. Its safety is a critical issue during its R&D process. The book elaborates on research progresses in particle bed-related phenomena in terms of the molten-pool mobility, the molten-pool sloshing motion, the debris bed formation behavior, and the debris bed self-leveling behavior. The book serves as a good reference for researchers, professionals, and postgraduate students interested in sodium-cooled fast reactors. Knowledge provided is also useful for those who are engaging in severe accident analysis for lead-cooled fast reactors and light water reactors.

Dynamic Simulation of Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors

Dynamic Simulation of Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors
Author: G Vaidyanathan
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2022-11-18
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1000779564

This book provides the basis of simulating a nuclear plant, in understanding the knowledge of how such simulations help in assuring the safety of the plants, thereby protecting the public from accidents. It provides the reader with an in-depth knowledge about modeling the thermal and flow processes in a fast reactor and gives an idea about the different numerical solution methods. The text highlights the application of the simulation to typical sodium-cooled fast reactor. The book • Discusses mathematical modeling of the heat transfer process in a fast reactor cooled by sodium. • Compares different numerical techniques and brings out the best one for the solution of the models. • Provides a methodology of validation based on experiments. • Examines modeling and simulation aspects necessary for the safe design of a fast reactor. • Emphasizes plant dynamics aspects, which is important for relating the interaction between the components in the heat transport systems. • Discusses the application of the models to the design of a sodium-cooled fast reactor It will serve as an ideal reference text for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in the fields of nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, and power cycle engineering.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors
Author: Masaki Morishita
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 664
Release: 2022-07-25
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0128240768

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors is the third volume in the JSME Series on Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, which presents a comprehensive view of the latest research and activities from around the globe. Volume Editors Masaki Morishita and Hiroyuki Ohshima, along with their team of expert contributors, combine their knowledge and experience to provide a solid understanding of the history of SFRs and work carried out in Japan to date. This book uniquely includes case studies from these global regions to highlight SFR uses, benefits and challenges, focusing on their safety, design, operation, and maintenance. Unique to this publication, the JSME cover key technological advances which will shape power generation of the future, including developments in the use of AI for design. Drawing on their unique experience, the authors pass on lessons learned and best practices to support professionals and researchers in their development and design of this advanced reactor type. Written by the leaders and pioneers in nuclear research at the Japanese Society of Mechanical Engineers and draws upon their combined wealth of knowledge and experience Includes real examples and case studies mainly from Japan to provide a deeper learning opportunity with practical benefits Considers the societal impact and sustainability concerns and goals throughout the discussion Includes safety factors and considerations, as well as unique results from performance testing of SFR systems

Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors

Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors
Author: International Atomic Energy Agency
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2007
Genre: Liquid metal cooled reactors
ISBN: 9789201079077

Presents a survey of worldwide experience gained with fast breeder reactor design, development and operation. Coverage includes state of the art of liquid metal fast reactor development; lead-bismuth cooled (LBC) ship reactor operation experience and LBC fast power reactor development; and treatment and disposal of spent sodium.

Final Report-passive Safety Optimization in Liquid Sodium-cooled Reactors

Final Report-passive Safety Optimization in Liquid Sodium-cooled Reactors
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2007
Genre:
ISBN:

This report summarizes the results of a three-year collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to identify and quantify the performance of innovative design features in metallic-fueled, sodium-cooled fast reactor designs. The objective of the work was to establish the reliability and safety margin enhancements provided by design innovations offering significant potential for construction, maintenance, and operating cost reductions. The project goal was accomplished with a combination of advanced model development (Task 1), analysis of innovative design and safety features (Tasks 2 and 3), and planning of key safety experiments (Task 4). Task 1--Computational Methods for Analysis of Passive Safety Design Features: An advanced three-dimensional subassembly thermal-hydraulic model was developed jointly and implemented in ANL and KAERI computer codes. The objective of the model development effort was to provide a high-accuracy capability to predict fuel, cladding, coolant, and structural temperatures in reactor fuel subassemblies, and thereby reduce the uncertainties associated with lower fidelity models previously used for safety and design analysis. The project included model formulation, implementation, and verification by application to available reactor tests performed at EBR-II. Task 2--Comparative Analysis and Evaluation of Innovative Design Features: Integrated safety assessments of innovative liquid metal reactor designs were performed to quantify the performance of inherent safety features. The objective of the analysis effort was to identify the potential safety margin enhancements possible in a sodium-cooled, metal-fueled reactor design by use of passive safety mechanisms to mitigate low-probability accident consequences. The project included baseline analyses using state-of-the-art computational models and advanced analyses using the new model developed in Task 1. Task 3--Safety Implications of Advanced Technology Power Conversion and Design Innovations and Simplifications: Investigations of supercritical CO2 gas turbine Brayton cycles coupled to the sodium-cooled reactors and innovative concepts for sodium-to-CO2 heat exchangers were performed to discover new designs for high efficiency electricity production. The objective of the analyses was to characterize the design and safety performance of equipment needed to implement the new power cycle. The project included considerations of heat transfer and power conversion systems arrangements and evaluations of systems performance. Task 4--Post Accident Heat Removal and In-Vessel Retention: Test plans were developed to evaluate (1) freezing and plugging of molten metallic fuel in subassembly geometry, (2) retention of metallic fuel core melt debris within reactor vessel structures, and (3) consequences of intermixing of high pressure CO2 and sodium. The objective of the test plan development was to provide planning for measurements of data needed to characterize the consequences of very low probability accident sequences unique to metallic fuel and CO2 Brayton power cycles. The project produced three test plans ready for execution.

Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle

Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle
Author: Baldev Raj
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2015-04-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781466587670

Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle delivers a detailed discussion of an important technology that is being harnessed for commercial energy production in many parts of the world. Presenting the state of the art of sodium-cooled fast reactors with closed fuel cycles, this book: Offers in-depth coverage of reactor physics, materials, design, safety analysis, validations, engineering, construction, and commissioning aspects Features a special chapter on allied sciences to highlight advanced reactor core materials, specialized manufacturing technologies, chemical sensors, in-service inspection, and simulators Addresses design essentials with a focus on reactor assembly including core and coolant circuits, fuel handling, instrumentation and control, energy conversion, and containment systems Provides design codes and standards with sufficient background information to ensure a solid understanding of the underlying mechanics Supplies guidelines for concept selection, design, analysis, and validation Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle is a valuable reference for industry professionals involved in the construction of fast-reactor power plants, as well as graduate-level engineering students of the design and development of sodium-cooled fast-reactor systems and components.

Effects of Fuel Type on the Safety Characteristics of a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor

Effects of Fuel Type on the Safety Characteristics of a Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor
Author: Tyler Sumner
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2010
Genre: Fast reactors
ISBN:

A series of accident simulations were performed using INL's thermal hydraulics code RELAP5-3D to analyze steady-state and transient behavior of a sodium cooled fast reactor. The reactor chosen for this study was General Electric's S-PRISM, which is a 1,000 MWt pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor, designed for either an Oxide or Metal fueled core. Once key core characteristics including power profiles, reactivity feedback coefficients and delayed neutron parameters were calculated, S-PRISM was redesigned for a Nitride fueled core to take advantage of the Nitride fuel's high thermal conductivity and melting temperature. Loss of flow, loss of heat sink, loss of power and inadvertent control rod withdrawal accidents were simulated for each core at beginning, middle and end of cycle to determine if one fuel type provides significant safety advantages over the others.

Fast Reactor Design with Enhanced Doppler Effect

Fast Reactor Design with Enhanced Doppler Effect
Author: Maciej Zajaczkowski
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

In order to improve passive safety of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFR) in case of unprotected transients such as Unprotected Loss of Flow (ULOF) or Unprotected Transient Overpower (UTOP), The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission proposed a CADOR concept - a new design of SFR core with enhanced Doppler effect. One of the most important design features is the addition of moderating materials inside fuel assemblies to decrease the average neutron energy by around 40%. The solution leads to roughly three times higher magnitude of Doppler effect due to the increase of resonance neutron population. On the other hand, the softened neutron spectrum changes other core properties. It increases the importance of low-energy neutron scattering and absorption. Moreover, the heterogeneous moderator placement in the assembly may cause an uneven reaction rate distribution and a risk of power peaks not observed in standard SFRs. To demonstrate the safety of CADOR design, it is essential to first evaluate the performance of calculation tools following a Verification, Validation and Uncertainty Quantification (VVUQ) - a process that must be applied to calculation codes and methods to show their reliability. The aforementioned changes in the neutron balance put into question the applicability of standard fast reactor neutronic calculation schemes to the case of CADOR. The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to establish an accurate neutron transport calculation scheme, in line with VVUQ principles, that takes into account all relevant physical phenomena related to atypical properties of the CADOR core.A two-step calculation scheme of deterministic neutron transport code APOLLO3 was defined as a basis for the analysis. The CADOR cores with two different moderator types, Be and ZrH2, were used. The elements of the scheme and their possible improvements were studied through direct comparison with the reference Monte Carlo code TRIPOLI-4. The systematic biases of numerical models, such as: different spatial homogenization approaches or resonance upscattering treatment, different energy and spatial mesh definitions, were studied with respect to accuracy of multiplication factor, Doppler effect and reaction rates. The most important sources of uncertainties were identified and quantified. Finally, as a first estimation of the sensitivity of the multiphysics calculation scheme, the impact of the uncertainties on simulations UTOP and ULOF transients was evaluated via coupling with MACARENa, a calculation code for transient analysis in SFRs.The results indicate that the accuracy of calculation scheme can be improved by applying exact scattering treatment, notably in case of core with ZrH2 moderator where utilization of simplified scattering kernel leads to underestimation of Doppler effect of up to 5.2 %. With exact scattering treatment the global bias of the calculation scheme of APOLLO3 was estimated at approximately 500 pcm for core with Be moderator and 460 pcm for core with ZrH2 moderator. The biases in case of CADOR are of the same order of magnitude as for conventional SFR designs. By preserving more heterogeneous description of the fissile zone during homogenization process the global bias can be further reduced by 110-280 pcm depending on the studied level of heterogeneity; however this approach has a drawback of significantly higher computational complexity. The sensitivity analysis performed in MACARENa suggests that the uncertainties of neutronic calculations have minor impact on the progression of simulated transients. This work shows that the methods available in APOLLO3 provide a good accuracy of calculation of SFRs, even in case of less conventional designs. The low uncertainties of the calculation scheme indicate robustness of the numerical models used; the calculation scheme provides sufficient accuracy to be applied in fast reactor design and safety studies.