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 numerical simulation study was performed to clarify the thermal mixing characteristics of coolant in the core bottom structure of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTR). The flow field and temperature field in...A numerical simulation study was performed to clarify the thermal mixing characteristics of coolant in the core bottom structure of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTR). The flow field and temperature field in the hot gas chamber and the hot gas duct of the HTR were obtained based on the commercial computational fluid dynamics(CFD) program. The numerical simulation results showed that the helium flow with different temperatures in the hot gas mixing chamber and the hot gas duct mixed intensively, and the mixing rate of the temperature in the outlet of the hot gas duct reached 98 %. The results indicated many large-scale swirling flow structures and strong turbulence in the hot gas mixing chamber and the entrance of the hot gas duct, which were responsible for the excellent thermal mixing of the hot gas chamber and the hot gas duct. The calculated results showed that the temperature mixing rate of the hot gas chamber decreased only marginally with increasing Reynolds number.展开更多
Most materials can be easily corroded or ineffective in carbonaceous atmospheres at high temperatures in the reactor core of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTGR).To solve the problem,a material performance te...Most materials can be easily corroded or ineffective in carbonaceous atmospheres at high temperatures in the reactor core of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTGR).To solve the problem,a material performance test apparatus was built to provide reliable materials and technical support for relevant experiments of the HTGR.The apparatus uses a center high-purity graphite heater and surrounding thermal insulating layers made of carbon fiber felt to form a strong carbon reducing atmosphere inside the apparatus.Specially designed tungsten rhenium thermocouples which can endure high temperatures in carbonaceous atmospheres are used to control the temperature field.A typical experimental process was analyzed in the paper,which lasted 76 hours including seven stages.Experimental results showed the test apparatus could completely simulate the carbon reduction atmosphere and high temperature environment the same as that confronted in the real reactor and the performance of screened materials had been successfully tested and verified.Test temperature in the apparatus could be elevated up to 1600oC,which covered the whole temperature range of the normal operation and accident condition of HTGR and could fully meet the test requirements of materials used in the reactor.展开更多
The water wall is an important part of the passive natural circulation residual heat removal system in a high temperature gas-cooled reactor. The maximum temperatures of the pressure shell and the water wall are calcu...The water wall is an important part of the passive natural circulation residual heat removal system in a high temperature gas-cooled reactor. The maximum temperatures of the pressure shell and the water wall are calcu- lated using annular vertical closed cavity model. Fine particles can deposit on the water wall due to the thermophore- sis effect. This deposit can affect heat transfer. The thermophoretic deposit efficiency is calculated by using Batch and Shen’s formula fitted for both laminar flow and turbulent flow. The calculated results indicate that natural convection is turbulent in the closed cavity. The transient thermophoretic deposit efficiency rises with the increase of the pressure shell’s temperature. Its maximum value is 14%.展开更多
This paper presents a neutronics design of a 10 MW ordered-pebble-bed fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature experimental reactor. Through delicate layout, a core with ordered arranged pebble bed can be formed,which ca...This paper presents a neutronics design of a 10 MW ordered-pebble-bed fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature experimental reactor. Through delicate layout, a core with ordered arranged pebble bed can be formed,which can keep core stability and meet the space requirements for thermal hydraulics and neutronics measurements.Overall, objectives of the core include inherent safety and sufficient excess reactivity providing 120 effective full power days for experiments. Considering the requirements above, the reactive control system is designed to consist of 16 control rods distributed in the graphite reflector. Combining the large control rods worth about 18000–20000 pcm, molten salt drain supplementary means(-6980 to -3651 pcm) and negative temperature coefficient(-6.32 to -3.80 pcm/K) feedback of the whole core, the reactor can realize sufficient shutdown margin and safety under steady state. Besides, some main physical properties, such as reactivity control, neutron spectrum and flux, power density distribution, and reactivity coefficient,have been calculated and analyzed in this study. In addition, some special problems in molten salt coolant are also considered, including ~6Li depletion and tritium production.展开更多
Probabilistic safety assessment(PSA) is important in nuclear safety review and analysis. Because the design and physics of the fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor(FHR) differ greatly from the pressurized wat...Probabilistic safety assessment(PSA) is important in nuclear safety review and analysis. Because the design and physics of the fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor(FHR) differ greatly from the pressurized water reactor(PWR), the methods and steps of PSA in FHR should be studied. The high-temperature gascooled reactor(HTR-PM) and sodium-cooled fast reactors have built the PSA framework, and the framework to finish the PSA analysis. The FHR is compared with the PWR, HTR-PM and sodium-cooled fast reactors from the physics, design and safety. The PSA framework of FHR is discussed. In the FHR, the fuel and coolant combination provides large thermal margins to fuel damage(hundreds of degrees centigrade). The tristructuralisotropic(TRISO) as the fuel is independent in FHR core and its failure is limited for the core. The core damage in Level 1 PSA is of lower frequency. Levels 1 and 2 PSA are combined in the FHR PSA analysis. The initiating events analysis is the beginning, and the source term analysis and the release types are the target. Finally, Level3 PSA is done.展开更多
he thermal performance test of the horizontal coaxial double tube hot gas duct (HGD) with an internal thermal insulation for the 10MW High Temperature Reactor Test Module (HTR10) was conducted on a Helium Test Loop(HE...he thermal performance test of the horizontal coaxial double tube hot gas duct (HGD) with an internal thermal insulation for the 10MW High Temperature Reactor Test Module (HTR10) was conducted on a Helium Test Loop(HETL). The present paper deals with the technical feature of the HETL, the test section and the thermal performance test of the HGD. The HGD test section with a triple tube structure includes an inner heater, a HGD model and a coldhot gas mixer. A counterflow of cold and hot helium gas under the pressure of about 3.0 MPa and the minimum temperature of 100℃ in the annular passage and the maximum of 950℃ in the central tube of the HGD model was formed. The HGD model was undergone 20 times of pressure cycle test under the pressure ranging from 0.1 to 3.4 MPa, 18 times of the temperature cycle test under the temperature ranging from 100 to 950℃ and high temperature (700 to 950℃) helium flow test for a period of more than 350 hours. The effective thermal conductivity (λeff) of the internal insulation of the HGD was investigated experimentally. The relationship of the effective thermal conductivity with the average tmperature of the internal insulation layer is λeff(W/m/℃)=0.3512+0.0003T(℃). The test results indicate that the HGD model has good abilities to resist heat flux from the central tube to the annular passage, temperature variations, and pressure variations.展开更多
Helium Turbine is used in High Temperature Reactor Helium Gas Turbine (HTR-GT) system, by which the direct helium circulation between the reactor and turbine generator system will come true. Between helium turbine and...Helium Turbine is used in High Temperature Reactor Helium Gas Turbine (HTR-GT) system, by which the direct helium circulation between the reactor and turbine generator system will come true. Between helium turbine and generator, there is gearbox device which reduces the turbine rotation speed to normal speed required by the generator. Three optional gearbox schemes are discussed. The first is single reduction cylindrical gearbox, which consists of one high speed gear and one low speed gear. Its advantage is simple structure, easy to manufacture, and high reliability, while its disadvantage is large volume and misalignment of input and output axle. The second is planetary gear mechanism with static planet carrier. The third is planetary gear mechanism with static internal gear. The latter two gearbox devices have similar structure. Their advantage is small volume and high reduction gear ratio, while disadvantage are complicated structure, many gears, low reliability and low mechanical efficiency.展开更多
The following design features which satisfy fundamental safety design objectives of an MHTGR are analyzed: (i) inherent safety features to reactivity effect: (ii) passive decay heat removal: and (iii) multiple barrier...The following design features which satisfy fundamental safety design objectives of an MHTGR are analyzed: (i) inherent safety features to reactivity effect: (ii) passive decay heat removal: and (iii) multiple barriers.Several events have been identified to be the bounding. hypothetical accidents for the MHTGR. The important accident sequences leading to severe accidents are ingress of a large amount of water or air into the core. The analyses of severe accident scenarios have shown that even the harm of fuel element predicted to occur by chmeical reaction after a hypothetical large amount of water ingress into the core or air ingress into the core will not result in major impact on the environment due to the nitegrity of fuel particles remained. Therefore, it would not be necessary to require an emergency plan to evacuate nearby inhabitants.展开更多
The simulation of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble-bed module(HTR-PM) plant is discussed.This lumped parameter model has the form of a set differential algebraic equations(DAEs) that include stiff equation...The simulation of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble-bed module(HTR-PM) plant is discussed.This lumped parameter model has the form of a set differential algebraic equations(DAEs) that include stiff equations to model point neutron kinetics.The nested approach is the most common method to solve DAE,but this approach is very expensive and time-consuming due to inner iterations.This paper deals with an alternative approach in which a simultaneous solution method is used.The DAEs are discretized over a time horizon using collocation on finite elements,and Radau collocation points are applied.The resulting nonlinear algebraic equations can be solved by existing solvers.The discrete algorithm is discussed in detail;both accuracy and stability issues are considered.Finally,the simulation results are presented to validate the efficiency and accuracy of the simultaneous approach that takes much less time than the nested one.展开更多
Much more nuclear energy capacity is needed than currently installed to meet the demand of energy and the requirement on environment protection in the next decades. More stringent nuclear safety standards have to be e...Much more nuclear energy capacity is needed than currently installed to meet the demand of energy and the requirement on environment protection in the next decades. More stringent nuclear safety standards have to be established for future nuclear power plants.The philosophy of a catastrophe free nuclear technology is presented in this paper. The issue of afterheat removal of high temperature gas cooled reactors is handled.It is a striking inherent safety feature of the modular high temperature gas cooled reactor design that the afterheat removal takes place without any active core cooling systems.展开更多
Online fuel pebble burnup measurement in a future high temperature gas cooling reactor is proposed for implementation through a high purity germanimn （HPGe） gamma spectrometer. By using KORIGEN software and MCNP Mon...Online fuel pebble burnup measurement in a future high temperature gas cooling reactor is proposed for implementation through a high purity germanimn （HPGe） gamma spectrometer. By using KORIGEN software and MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, the single pebble gamma radiations to be recorded in the detector are simulated under different, irradiation histories. A specially developed algorithm is applied to analyze the generated spectra to reconstruct the gamma activity of the ~arCs monitoring nuclide. It is demonstrated that by taking into account the intense interfering peaks, the 137Cs activity in the spent pebbles can be derived with a standard deviation of 3.0% （l（r）. The results support the feasibility of utilizing the HPGe spectrometry in the online determination of the pebble burimp in future modular pebble bed reactors.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.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11375099)
文摘A numerical simulation study was performed to clarify the thermal mixing characteristics of coolant in the core bottom structure of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTR). The flow field and temperature field in the hot gas chamber and the hot gas duct of the HTR were obtained based on the commercial computational fluid dynamics(CFD) program. The numerical simulation results showed that the helium flow with different temperatures in the hot gas mixing chamber and the hot gas duct mixed intensively, and the mixing rate of the temperature in the outlet of the hot gas duct reached 98 %. The results indicated many large-scale swirling flow structures and strong turbulence in the hot gas mixing chamber and the entrance of the hot gas duct, which were responsible for the excellent thermal mixing of the hot gas chamber and the hot gas duct. The calculated results showed that the temperature mixing rate of the hot gas chamber decreased only marginally with increasing Reynolds number.
基金Supported by the National S&T Major Project of China(No.ZX06901)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No 11072131)
文摘Most materials can be easily corroded or ineffective in carbonaceous atmospheres at high temperatures in the reactor core of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor(HTGR).To solve the problem,a material performance test apparatus was built to provide reliable materials and technical support for relevant experiments of the HTGR.The apparatus uses a center high-purity graphite heater and surrounding thermal insulating layers made of carbon fiber felt to form a strong carbon reducing atmosphere inside the apparatus.Specially designed tungsten rhenium thermocouples which can endure high temperatures in carbonaceous atmospheres are used to control the temperature field.A typical experimental process was analyzed in the paper,which lasted 76 hours including seven stages.Experimental results showed the test apparatus could completely simulate the carbon reduction atmosphere and high temperature environment the same as that confronted in the real reactor and the performance of screened materials had been successfully tested and verified.Test temperature in the apparatus could be elevated up to 1600oC,which covered the whole temperature range of the normal operation and accident condition of HTGR and could fully meet the test requirements of materials used in the reactor.
基金Supported by the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Projects of China (No.2002CB211604) and the National Key Projects in the Ninth Five –Year Plan (96-G01-02-05).
文摘The water wall is an important part of the passive natural circulation residual heat removal system in a high temperature gas-cooled reactor. The maximum temperatures of the pressure shell and the water wall are calcu- lated using annular vertical closed cavity model. Fine particles can deposit on the water wall due to the thermophore- sis effect. This deposit can affect heat transfer. The thermophoretic deposit efficiency is calculated by using Batch and Shen’s formula fitted for both laminar flow and turbulent flow. The calculated results indicate that natural convection is turbulent in the closed cavity. The transient thermophoretic deposit efficiency rises with the increase of the pressure shell’s temperature. Its maximum value is 14%.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences TMSR Strategic Pioneer Science and Technology Project(No.XDA02010000)Thorium uranium fuel cycle characteristics and key problem research Project(No.QYZDY-SSW-JSC016)
文摘This paper presents a neutronics design of a 10 MW ordered-pebble-bed fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature experimental reactor. Through delicate layout, a core with ordered arranged pebble bed can be formed,which can keep core stability and meet the space requirements for thermal hydraulics and neutronics measurements.Overall, objectives of the core include inherent safety and sufficient excess reactivity providing 120 effective full power days for experiments. Considering the requirements above, the reactive control system is designed to consist of 16 control rods distributed in the graphite reflector. Combining the large control rods worth about 18000–20000 pcm, molten salt drain supplementary means(-6980 to -3651 pcm) and negative temperature coefficient(-6.32 to -3.80 pcm/K) feedback of the whole core, the reactor can realize sufficient shutdown margin and safety under steady state. Besides, some main physical properties, such as reactivity control, neutron spectrum and flux, power density distribution, and reactivity coefficient,have been calculated and analyzed in this study. In addition, some special problems in molten salt coolant are also considered, including ~6Li depletion and tritium production.
基金Supported by Chinese Academy of Science Strategy Precursor Science and Technology Project(No.XDA0205050)
文摘Probabilistic safety assessment(PSA) is important in nuclear safety review and analysis. Because the design and physics of the fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor(FHR) differ greatly from the pressurized water reactor(PWR), the methods and steps of PSA in FHR should be studied. The high-temperature gascooled reactor(HTR-PM) and sodium-cooled fast reactors have built the PSA framework, and the framework to finish the PSA analysis. The FHR is compared with the PWR, HTR-PM and sodium-cooled fast reactors from the physics, design and safety. The PSA framework of FHR is discussed. In the FHR, the fuel and coolant combination provides large thermal margins to fuel damage(hundreds of degrees centigrade). The tristructuralisotropic(TRISO) as the fuel is independent in FHR core and its failure is limited for the core. The core damage in Level 1 PSA is of lower frequency. Levels 1 and 2 PSA are combined in the FHR PSA analysis. The initiating events analysis is the beginning, and the source term analysis and the release types are the target. Finally, Level3 PSA is done.
文摘he thermal performance test of the horizontal coaxial double tube hot gas duct (HGD) with an internal thermal insulation for the 10MW High Temperature Reactor Test Module (HTR10) was conducted on a Helium Test Loop(HETL). The present paper deals with the technical feature of the HETL, the test section and the thermal performance test of the HGD. The HGD test section with a triple tube structure includes an inner heater, a HGD model and a coldhot gas mixer. A counterflow of cold and hot helium gas under the pressure of about 3.0 MPa and the minimum temperature of 100℃ in the annular passage and the maximum of 950℃ in the central tube of the HGD model was formed. The HGD model was undergone 20 times of pressure cycle test under the pressure ranging from 0.1 to 3.4 MPa, 18 times of the temperature cycle test under the temperature ranging from 100 to 950℃ and high temperature (700 to 950℃) helium flow test for a period of more than 350 hours. The effective thermal conductivity (λeff) of the internal insulation of the HGD was investigated experimentally. The relationship of the effective thermal conductivity with the average tmperature of the internal insulation layer is λeff(W/m/℃)=0.3512+0.0003T(℃). The test results indicate that the HGD model has good abilities to resist heat flux from the central tube to the annular passage, temperature variations, and pressure variations.
文摘Helium Turbine is used in High Temperature Reactor Helium Gas Turbine (HTR-GT) system, by which the direct helium circulation between the reactor and turbine generator system will come true. Between helium turbine and generator, there is gearbox device which reduces the turbine rotation speed to normal speed required by the generator. Three optional gearbox schemes are discussed. The first is single reduction cylindrical gearbox, which consists of one high speed gear and one low speed gear. Its advantage is simple structure, easy to manufacture, and high reliability, while its disadvantage is large volume and misalignment of input and output axle. The second is planetary gear mechanism with static planet carrier. The third is planetary gear mechanism with static internal gear. The latter two gearbox devices have similar structure. Their advantage is small volume and high reduction gear ratio, while disadvantage are complicated structure, many gears, low reliability and low mechanical efficiency.
文摘The following design features which satisfy fundamental safety design objectives of an MHTGR are analyzed: (i) inherent safety features to reactivity effect: (ii) passive decay heat removal: and (iii) multiple barriers.Several events have been identified to be the bounding. hypothetical accidents for the MHTGR. The important accident sequences leading to severe accidents are ingress of a large amount of water or air into the core. The analyses of severe accident scenarios have shown that even the harm of fuel element predicted to occur by chmeical reaction after a hypothetical large amount of water ingress into the core or air ingress into the core will not result in major impact on the environment due to the nitegrity of fuel particles remained. Therefore, it would not be necessary to require an emergency plan to evacuate nearby inhabitants.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2009CB320603)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 60974007 and 60934007)
文摘The simulation of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble-bed module(HTR-PM) plant is discussed.This lumped parameter model has the form of a set differential algebraic equations(DAEs) that include stiff equations to model point neutron kinetics.The nested approach is the most common method to solve DAE,but this approach is very expensive and time-consuming due to inner iterations.This paper deals with an alternative approach in which a simultaneous solution method is used.The DAEs are discretized over a time horizon using collocation on finite elements,and Radau collocation points are applied.The resulting nonlinear algebraic equations can be solved by existing solvers.The discrete algorithm is discussed in detail;both accuracy and stability issues are considered.Finally,the simulation results are presented to validate the efficiency and accuracy of the simultaneous approach that takes much less time than the nested one.
文摘Much more nuclear energy capacity is needed than currently installed to meet the demand of energy and the requirement on environment protection in the next decades. More stringent nuclear safety standards have to be established for future nuclear power plants.The philosophy of a catastrophe free nuclear technology is presented in this paper. The issue of afterheat removal of high temperature gas cooled reactors is handled.It is a striking inherent safety feature of the modular high temperature gas cooled reactor design that the afterheat removal takes place without any active core cooling systems.
基金Supported by National Science and Technology Major Project(ZX06901)National Natural Science Foundation of China(10975083,11079025)Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program
文摘Online fuel pebble burnup measurement in a future high temperature gas cooling reactor is proposed for implementation through a high purity germanimn （HPGe） gamma spectrometer. By using KORIGEN software and MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, the single pebble gamma radiations to be recorded in the detector are simulated under different, irradiation histories. A specially developed algorithm is applied to analyze the generated spectra to reconstruct the gamma activity of the ~arCs monitoring nuclide. It is demonstrated that by taking into account the intense interfering peaks, the 137Cs activity in the spent pebbles can be derived with a standard deviation of 3.0% （l（r）. The results support the feasibility of utilizing the HPGe spectrometry in the online determination of the pebble burimp in future modular pebble bed reactors.
