• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.475-502
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• 2012

In this paper, the seismic analysis modeling technologies for sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) are presented with detailed descriptions for each structure, system and component (SSC) model. The complicated reactor system of pool type SFR, which is composed of the reactor vessel, internal structures, intermediate heat exchangers, primary pumps, core assemblies, and core support structures, is mathematically described with simple stick models which can represent fundamental frequencies of SSC. To do this, detailed finite element analyses were carried out to identify fundamental beam frequencies with consideration of fluid added mass effects caused by primary sodium coolant contained in the reactor vessel. The calculation of fluid added masses is performed by detailed finite element analyses using FAMD computer program and the results are discussed in terms of the ways to be considered in a seismic modeling. Based on the results of seismic time history analyses for both seismic isolation and non-isolation design, the functional requirements for relative deflections are discussed, and the design floor response spectra are proposed that can be used for subsystem seismic design.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2020

Despite the recent growth of interest in molten salt reactor technology and the crucial role which heat transfer plays in the design of power reactors, specific studies on the design of heat exchangers for the Molten Salt Fast Reactor have not yet been performed. In this work we deliver a preliminary but quantitative analysis of the intermediate heat exchangers, based on reference design data from the SAMOFAR H2020-Euratom project. Two different promising reference technologies are selected for study thanks to their compactness features, the Printed Circuit and the Helical Coil heat exchangers. We present preliminary design results for each technology, based on simplified design tools. Results highlight the limiting effects of the compactness constraints imposed on the fuel salt inventory and the allowed size. Large pressure drops on both flow sides are to be expected, with negative consequences on pumping power and natural circulation capabilities. The small size required for the flow channels also represents possible fabrication issues and safety concerns regarding channel blockage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1110-1119
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• 2020

The Floating Absorber for Safety at Transient (FAST) is a safety device used in the innovative Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (iSFR). The FAST insert negative reactivity under transient or accident conditions. However, behavior of the FAST is still unclear under transient conditions. Therefore, the existing Floating Absorber for Safety at Transient Analysis Code (FASTAC) is improved to analyze the FAST movement by considering the reactivity and temperature distribution within the reactor core. The current FAST system is simulated under a single control rod withdrawal accident condition. In this investigation, the reactor thermal power does not return to its initial thermal power even if the FAST inserts negative reactivity. Only a 9 K of coolant temperature margin, in the hottest fuel assembly at EOL, can lead to unnecessary insertion of the negative reactivity. On the other hand, the FASTs cannot contribute to controlling the reactivity when normalized radial power is less than 0.889 at BOL and 0.972 at EOL. These simulation results suggest that the current FAST design needs to be optimized depending on its installed location. Meanwhile, the FAST system keeps the fuel, cladding and coolant temperatures below their limit temperatures with given conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.54-62
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• 2011

KAERI has developed a KALIMER-600 which is a pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor with a 600MWe electric generation capacity. For a SFR development, one of the main topics is an enhancement of the reactor system safety. Therefore, we have a long-term plan to design the large sodium experimental facility to evaluate the reactor safety and component performance. In order to extrapolate a thermal hydraulic phenomena in a large sodium reactor, the thermal hydraulics phenomena is under investigation in a 1/$10^{th}$ water-simulant facility for the KALIMER-600. In this paper, we shortly described the experimental facility setup and the measurement of the isothermal global flow behavior. For the flow field measurement, the PIV method was used in a transparent Plexiglas reactor vessel model at around $20^{\circ}C$ water condition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.776-783
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• 2020

As the refueling of a sodium-cooled fast reactor is conducted by rotating part of the reactor head without opening it, the monitoring of existing obstacles that can disturb the rotation of the reactor head is one of the most important issues. This paper deals with the ultrasonic ranging technique that directly monitors the existence of possible obstacles located in a lateral gap between the upper internal structure and the reactor core in a prototype generation IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR). A 10 m long plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor, whose feasibility has been successfully demonstrated through preliminary tests, was employed for the ultrasonic ranging technique. The design of the sensor's wave radiating section was modified to improve the radiation performance, and the radiated field was investigated through beam profile measurements. A test facility simulating the lower part of the upper internal structure and the upper part of the reactor core with the same shapes and sizes as those in the PGSFR was newly constructed. Several under-water performance tests were then carried out at room temperature to investigate the applicability of the developed ranging technique using the plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor with the actual geometry of the PGSFR's internal structures.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.41-48
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• 2012

A numerical analysis of thermal stratification in the upper plenum of the MONJU fast breeder reactor was performed. Calculations were performed for a 1/6 simplified model of the MONJU reactor using the commercial code, CFX-13. To better resolve the geometrically complex upper core structure of the MONJU reactor, the porous media approach was adopted for the simulation. First, a steady state solution was obtained and the transient solutions were then obtained for the turbine trip test conducted in December 1995. The time dependent inlet conditions for the mass flow rate and temperature were provided by JAEA. Good agreement with the experimental data was observed for steady state solution. The numerical solution of the transient analysis shows the formation of thermal stratification within the upper plenum of the reactor vessel during the turbine trip test. The temporal variations of temperature were predicted accurately by the present method in the initial rapid coastdown period (~300 seconds). However, transient numerical solutions show a faster thermal mixing than that observed in the experiment after the initial coastdown period. A nearly homogenization of the temperature field in the upper plenum is predicted after about 900 seconds, which is a much shorter-term thermal stratification than the experimental data indicates. This discrepancy is due to the shortcoming of the turbulence models available in the CFX-13 code for a natural convection flow with thermal stratification.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2006

The Gas-cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) is one of the six reactor concepts selected within the framework of the Generation IV initiative and is the reference concept for the Commissariat $\grave{a}$ l'Energie Atomique $(CEA^1)$. Two reactor unit sizes have been considered: 600 MWth and 2400 MWth. As far as thermal-hydraulics is concerned, reactor decay heat removal (DHR) proves to be a major issue. The CEA has conducted exploratory design studies to address this issue and a reference solution for the 600MWth reactor has been recommended.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.1024-1031
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• 2019

The Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) with its liquid circulating fuel and its fast neutron spectrum calls for a new safety approach including technological neutral methodologies and analysis tools adapted to early design phases. In the frame of the Horizon2020 program SAMOFAR (Safety Assessment of the Molten Salt Fast Reactor) a safety approach suitable for Molten Salt Reactors is being developed and applied to the MSFR. After a description of the MSFR reference design, this paper focuses on the identification of the Postulated Initiating Events (PIEs), which is a core part of the global assessment methodology. To fulfil this task, the Functional Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FFMEA) and the Master Logic Diagram (MLD) are selected and employed separately in order to be as exhaustive as possible in the identification of the initiating events of the system. Finally, an extract of the list of PIEs, selected as the most representative events resulting from the implementation of both methods, is presented to illustrate the methodology and some of the outcomes of the methods are compared in order to highlight symbioses and differences between the MLD and the FFMEA.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.535-542
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• 2012

A sodium-cooled demonstration fast reactor with the KALIMER-600 as a reference plant is under design by KAERI. The safety grade decay heat removal system (DHRS), which is important to mitigate design basis accidents, was changed in the reactor design. A loss of heat sink and a vessel leak in design basis accidents were simulated using the MARS-LMR system transient analysis code on two plant systems. In the analyses, the DHRS of KALIMER-600 had a weakness due to elevation of the overflow path for the DHRS operation, while it was proved that the DHRS of the demonstration reactor had superior heat transfer characteristics due to the simplified heat transfer mechanism.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.3517-3527
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• 2021

New 80-MW (electric) ultra-long-life sodium cooled fast reactor core having inherent safety characteristics is designed with heterogeneous fuel assemblies comprised of driver and blanket fuel rods. Several options using upper sodium plenum and SSFZ (Special Sodium Flowing Zone) for reducing sodium void reactivity are neutronically analyzed in this core concept in order to improve the inherent safety of the core. The SSFZ allowing the coolant flow from the peripheral fuel assemblies increases the neutron leakage under coolant expansion or voiding. The Monte Carlo calculations were used to design the cores and analyze their physics characteristics with heterogeneous models. The results of the design and analyses show that the final core design option has a small burnup reactivity swing of 618 pcm over ~54 EFPYs cycle length and a very small sodium void worth of ~35pcm at EOC (End of Cycle), which leads to the satisfaction of all the conditions for inherent safety with large margin based on the quasi-static reactivity balance analysis under ATWS (Anticipated Transient Without Scram).