In 2005, the US passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandating the construction and operation of a high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) by 2021. This law was passed after a multiyear study by national experts on what...In 2005, the US passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandating the construction and operation of a high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) by 2021. This law was passed after a multiyear study by national experts on what future nuclear technologies should be developed. As a result of the Act, the US Congress chose to develop the so-called Next-Generation Nuclear Plant, which was to be an HTGR designed to produce process heat for hydrogen production. Despite high hopes and expectations, the current status is that high temperature reactors have been relegated to completing research programs on advanced fuels, graphite and materials with no plans to build a demonstration plant as required by the US Con- gress in 2005. There are many reasons behind this diminution of HTGR development, including but not limited to insufficient government funding requirements for research, unrealistically high temperature requirements for the reactor, the delay in the need for a "hydrogen" economy, competition from light water small modular light water reactors, little utility interest in new technologies, very low natural gas prices in the US, and a challenging licensing process in the US for non-water reactors.展开更多
A water leakage on the surface of heat transfer tube in a steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactor causes SWR (sodium-water reaction). The SWR damages the leak surface and gives rise to the leak enlargement. Mo...A water leakage on the surface of heat transfer tube in a steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactor causes SWR (sodium-water reaction). The SWR damages the leak surface and gives rise to the leak enlargement. Most of initial leakage starts from micro leak (less than 0.5 g/s). However, the leak rate increases more than two orders of magnitude and the resultant leak damages surrounding heat transfer tubes and it brings secondary failure of the heat transfer tube. Evaluation of the leak enlargement is necessary to assess the leak rate increase, so that evaluate the possibility of secondary failure. In this study, a simulant experiment, which uses neutralization reaction, is proposed to reproduce the leak enlargement. To examine the feasibility of the experiment, numerical simulations are carried out. From the result, a funnel-shaped nozzle enlargement is observed and the shape similar to the shape of the enlarged nozzle from the SWAT (sodium-water reaction test loop) experiment.展开更多
文摘In 2005, the US passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandating the construction and operation of a high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) by 2021. This law was passed after a multiyear study by national experts on what future nuclear technologies should be developed. As a result of the Act, the US Congress chose to develop the so-called Next-Generation Nuclear Plant, which was to be an HTGR designed to produce process heat for hydrogen production. Despite high hopes and expectations, the current status is that high temperature reactors have been relegated to completing research programs on advanced fuels, graphite and materials with no plans to build a demonstration plant as required by the US Con- gress in 2005. There are many reasons behind this diminution of HTGR development, including but not limited to insufficient government funding requirements for research, unrealistically high temperature requirements for the reactor, the delay in the need for a "hydrogen" economy, competition from light water small modular light water reactors, little utility interest in new technologies, very low natural gas prices in the US, and a challenging licensing process in the US for non-water reactors.
文摘A water leakage on the surface of heat transfer tube in a steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactor causes SWR (sodium-water reaction). The SWR damages the leak surface and gives rise to the leak enlargement. Most of initial leakage starts from micro leak (less than 0.5 g/s). However, the leak rate increases more than two orders of magnitude and the resultant leak damages surrounding heat transfer tubes and it brings secondary failure of the heat transfer tube. Evaluation of the leak enlargement is necessary to assess the leak rate increase, so that evaluate the possibility of secondary failure. In this study, a simulant experiment, which uses neutralization reaction, is proposed to reproduce the leak enlargement. To examine the feasibility of the experiment, numerical simulations are carried out. From the result, a funnel-shaped nozzle enlargement is observed and the shape similar to the shape of the enlarged nozzle from the SWAT (sodium-water reaction test loop) experiment.