Natural circulation thermal-hydraulics model and analyses of “SLIMM” – A small modular reactor

Although the current Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) have significantly contributed to the global energy supply, PWRs have not been considered as a trustworthy energy solution owing to its several problems; spent nuclear fuels (SNFs), nuclear safety, and nuclear economy. In order to overcome these problems, lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) fully passive cooling Small Modular Reactor (SMR) system is suggested. It is possible to not only provide the solution of the problem of SNFs through the transmutation feature of LBE coolant, but also increase the safety and economy through the concepts of the natural circulation cooling SMRs. It is necessary to maximize the advantages (safety and economy) of this type of Nuclear Power Plants for several applications in future. Accordingly, objective of the study is to maximize the reactor core power while the limitations of shipping size, materials endurance, long-burning criticality as well as safety under Beyond Design Basis Events must be satisfied. Design limitations of natural circulating LBE-cooling SMRs are researched and power maximization method is developed based on obtained design limitations. It is expected that the results are contributed to reactor design stage with providing several insights to designers as well as the methods for design optimization of other type of SMRs.

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Sensitivity Analysis of the SBLOCA Induced Severe Accident for a Natural Circulation Small Modular Reactors

Volume 6B: Thermal-Hydraulics and Safety Analyses ◽

10.1115/icone26-82267 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Longze Li ◽

Jue Wang ◽

Yapei Zhang ◽

G. H. Su

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity Analysis ◽

Heat Sink ◽

Natural Circulation ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Severe Accident ◽

Severe Accidents ◽

Small Modular Reactor ◽

Fraction Increase ◽

Crack Position

The natural circulation small modular reactor (NCSMR) is a 330 MW reactor which has no reactor coolant pumps (RCP) and no active safety injection systems at all. The reactor is mainly comprised of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) with integral pressurize r and steam generator. RPV is enclosed by a vacuumed pressure containment vessel (PCV) and the PCV is submerged in the underground containment pool. A MELCOR model and corresponding input deck are developed for the RPV, PCV, and containment pool. The containment pool takes the role of ultimate heat sink (UHS) in accident situations. The containment pool may crack and leak in some critical accidents as the earthquake, leading to the severe accident of the reactor. A TMI-2 like SBLOCA in the RPV (stuck open RVVs) along with the containment pool crack (loss of ultimate heat sink) is simulated in the work. So me key parameters as the RRVs stuck open fraction, the PCV-SRVs open or not, the containment pool crack position would have large influence on the severe accident sequence. The sensitivity of these parameters to the accident sequence is analyzed in the work. According to the simulation results, the RPV pressure decreased with the RRVs stuck open. The depressurization of RPV accelerated with the RPV-SRV open fraction increase. The PCV pressure increased after that. Two cases as the PCV-SRV open after PCV pressure increase to 5 MPa, and PCV break while the RV d id not open, are analysis. The coolant discharge mass flo wrate in RPV and PCV were different in two cases, leading to the different degradation situation of the core. Since the containment pool is so important for the accident mitigation, sensitivity analysis is done for the containment pool crack position in the pool. The work will be meaningful in gaining an insight into the detailed process involved. One of the final goals of this work would be to identify appropriate accident management strategies and countermeasures for the potential extreme natural hazard induced severe accidents during the design process of NCSMR.

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