600-MW_(e)high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant HTR-PM600

The HTR-PM600 high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant is based on the technology of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble-bed module(HTR-PM)demonstration project.It utilizes proven HTR-PM reactor and steam generator modules with a thermal power of 250 MW_(th)and power generation of approximately 100 MW_(e)per module.Six modules in parallel,connected to a steam turbine,form a 600-MW_(e)nuclear power plant.In addition,its system configuration in the nuclear island is identical to that of the HTR-PM in which the technical risks are minimized.Under this principle,the HTR-PM600 achieves the same level of inherent safety as the HTR-PM.The concept of a ventilated lowpressure containment(VLPC)is unchanged;however,a large circular VLPC accommodating all six reactor modules is adopted rather than the previous small-cavity-type VLPC,which contains only one module,as defined for the HTR-PM.The layout of the nuclear island and its associated systems refer to single-unit pressurized water reactor(PWR)practices.With this layout,the HTR-PM600achieves a volume size of the nuclear island that is comparable to a domestic PWR of the same power level.This will be a GenerationⅣnuclear energy technology that is economically competitive.

Macroscopic Structural Analysis on a 10 kW Class Lab-Scale Process Heat Exchanger Prototype under a High-Temperature Gas Loop Condition

A PHE (Process Heat Exchanger) is a key component in transferring high-temperature heat generated from a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) to a chemical reaction for the massive production of hydrogen. Last year, a 10 kW class lab-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy-X was manufactured at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), and a performance test of the PHE prototype is currently underway in a small-scale nitrogen gas loop at KAERI. The PHE prototype is composed of two kinds of flow plates: grooves 1.0 mm in diameter machined into the flow plate for the primary coolant, and waved channels bent into the flow plate for the secondary coolant. Inside the 10 kW class lab-scale PHE prototype, twenty flow plates for the primary and secondary coolants are stacked in turn. In this study, to understand the macroscopic structural behavior of the PHE prototype under the steady-state operating condition of the gas loop, high-temperature structural analyses on the 10 kW class lab-scale PHE prototype were performed for two extreme cases: in the event of contacting the flow plates together, and when not contacting them. The analysis results for the extreme cases were also compared.

Preparation of β-SiC by combustion synthesis in a large-scale reactor

The feasibility of 5 kg β-SiC synthesized in one batch was demonstrated through igniting the mixture of Si, C-black and polytetrafluoroethylene （PTFE） under different nitrogen pressures. The effect of experimental parameters, including the contents of PTFE, nitrogen pressure, preheating, and raw materials distribution forms were investigated. The results show that the products are β-SiC with equiaxed grains. The average grain size is less than 200 nm. The powders loaded loosely promote reaction heat dispersing, resulting in small grains. High purity β-SiC powders are obtained when the PTFE content is as low as 5wt%, which simplifies the process and decreases the cost effectively. The ceramic sintered from the obtained β-SiC powders presents the hardness of 22.20 GPa, the bending strength as high as 715.15 MPa and the fracture toughness of 8.179 MPa·m^1/2, which are higher than those of ceramics fabricated with α-SiC produced by combustion synthesis.

Simultaneous approach for simulation of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor

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.

Evaluation of thermophoretic effects on graphite dust coagulation in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors

In high-temperature gas-cooled reactors,graphite dust particles within the reactor core and the heat transfer equipment experience large temperature gradients.Under such conditions,thermophoresis may play an important role in determining aerosol evolution.This study presents a theoretical and numerical analysis of the thermophoretic effects on aerosol coagulation within these reactors.The coagulation rates for Brownian versus thermophoretic coagulation are calculated and compared for various temperature gradients.Our results show that thermophoretic coagulation dominates over Brownian coagulation for large temperature gradients.We defined an enhancement factor to evaluate the role of thermophoretic coagulation under various reactor conditions.The enhancement factor increased dramatically with increasing temperature gradient,decreasing pressure and increasing particle diameter,but was not very sensitive to temperature change.The time evolution of the particle size distribution related to combined Brownian and thermophoretic coagulation was simulated using a log-skew-normal method of moments.The simulation results indicate that aerosol evolution can be strongly accelerated by thermophoretic coagulation under large temperature gradients.

太阳能高温热化学反应器研究进展

将高温光热转换和热化学过程集成,可使太阳能和化石资源(包括水或生物质)提级为氢或合成气资源,是热点课题之一。太阳能高温反应器是实现该过程的关键,但存在均温性差、转化效率低及反应物烧结失效的缺点。本文简述了太阳能高温热化学转化过程的原理,回顾了其由直接热解水制氢演变至化石资源改质和提级的历程,分析了塔式和碟式高温热发电集热器(也称为吸热器或接收器)移植用作太阳能高温反应器的可行性及其局限。综述了直接照射式和间接照射式太阳能高温反应器的研究进展,评述了热管(板)在改善太阳能高温反应器均温性和提高传热效率上的优势,阐述了间接照射式太阳能高温反应器在热化学转化过程的典型示范。指出基于热管(板)的间接照射式太阳能高温反应器为主导发展方向之一。

Research on manufacture technology of spherical fuel elements by dry-bag isostatic pressing

The steady development of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors(HTRs) has increased the requirements for the production cost and quality of fuel elements. Green fuel element pressing is one of the key steps to increase the production capacity. This paper proposes a proprietary vacuum dry-bag isostatic pressing(DIP) apparatus. The structural change of the matrix graphite powder during the DIP process was examined by analyzing the density change of the matrix graphite spheres with pressure. The soft molding process was simulated using the finite element method. The dimensional changes in the spheres during the pressing, carbonization, and purification stages were explored. The performance of the fuel matrix produced by the DIP method was comprehensively examined. The fuel matrix met the technical requirements and its anisotropy was significantly reduced. The DIP method can significantly improve both the production efficiency and quality of fuel elements. This will play a key role in meeting the huge demand for fuel elements of HTRs and molten salt reactors.

Nanomaterials Driven Magnetic Nuclear Fusion Confinement Approaches(A Technical Memorandum)

Nuclear energy driven magnetic confinement via donut shape device known as Tokamak,a toroidal apparatus,for producing controlled fusion reactions in hot plasma,was originally suggested as a basic yet more promising fusion reactor.Today the more innovative version of this apparatus that is known as an ITER(international thermonuclear experimental reactor)shows a way toward MCF(magnetic confinement fusion)of hot plasma goal by satisfying Lawson’s Criteria to some degree of achievement.However,since this fusion driven reactor of hot plasma needs to operate at almost 150 million Celsius,the internal material of this reactor is a matter of concern for scientists that are involved with its fabrication.Uniqueness of nanomaterials from the point of view of physical and chemical properties is suggested as a possible potential application for this special and innovative reactor for a nuclear fusion device.Convergence of nanotechnology in study of new generation of materials of this kind can shape the path for various technological developments and a large variety of disciplines,including MCF driven plasma of hot fusion as well.This short TM(technical memorandum)written by these two authors will cover this aspect of technology in a holistic way and the more granular level is left to the reader of this TM to investigate further.

Graphite dust resuspension in an HTR-10 steam generator

Graphite dust has an important effect on the safety of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors（HTR）.The flow field in the steam generator was studied by the computational fluid dynamics（CFD） method,with the results indicating that the friction velocity in the windward and the leeward of the heat transfer tubes is relatively low and is higher at the sides.Further analysis of the resuspension of graphite dust indicates that the resuspension fraction reaches nearly zero for particles with a diameter less than 1 μm,whereas it will increases as the helium velocity in the steam generator increases for particle size larger than 1 μm.Moreover,the resuspension fraction increases as the particle size increases.The results also indicate that resuspension of the particles with sizes larger than 1 μm exhibited obvious differences in different parts of the steam generator.