Development of the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) for Antares
- AREVA NP, 10 rue Juliette Recamier, 69456 Lyon Cedex 06 (France)
- CEA 17 avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)
- EDF, Ecuelles, Avenue des Renardieres 77818 Moret sur Loing Cedex (France)
The plate type IHX is the most challenging component for ANTARES due to the high temperature of helium at the core outlet (from 850 deg. C to 1000 deg. C). It is indeed a first of the kind as there is no past experience in nuclear or outside nuclear industries of such a component. It requires high performance materials and high technology manufacturing processes. It is also a key component regarding the efficiency and competitiveness of the plant. Then, an intensive work program was launched in AREVA NP in order to develop this component. Different units of AREVA NP and external organisations (R and D and industrials) are involved in this development. Collaboration agreements defining the framework and the rights of each partner were elaborated when necessary. Several potential technologies are investigated in parallel with the objective to select the best one before the end of 2008. This selection will be based on design studies, cost assessment, risk assessment and technological assessment including the realisation and tests of representative mock ups. These technologies are: - Plate Machined Heat Exchanger (PMHE) with CEA and EDF; - Plate Fin Heat Exchanger (PFHE) with industrials like Nordon, Brayton Energy; - Tubular concept. Plate type IHX, which is more compact but more challenging, is the reference concept for the conceptual design phase of ANTARES but tubular concept is also investigated as a fall back solution. It must be also noted that generic R and D on high temperature materials is in progress. It includes in particular creep, corrosion and nitriding tests on samples. Two alloys were selected (230 and 617) and the final selection of one alloy is planned for the end of 2006. PMHE is one of the most promising technologies. The plates are machined by high speed machining or electro chemical etching. First machining tests performed by the AREVA NP technical centre in Chalon are encouraging but the geometry of the drills still have to be optimised in order to increase the lifetime of the tools. The assembly process of the plates is based on HIP process or uni-axial diffusion bonding. CEA is in charge of the optimisation of the process parameters at the lab scale and AREVA NP is in charge of the industrialisation of the process. First tests showed the importance of the surfaces preparation prior to bonding. Most of the design studies (safety, thermo-mechanical, thermo-hydraulic analyses and integration of the IHX modules within the pressure vessel) are performed by AREVA NP with the support of CEA.. PFHE is a well known technology outside the nuclear field (cryogenic and automotive systems). It is developed for ANTARES in partnership with some industrials. The French company Nordon proposed a concept based on serrated offset strip fins which are assembled onto flat support plates by brazing. This concept is developed from existing Nordon know how and its experience of this technology but for lower temperature application (mainly aluminium materials). Another PFHE technology is also investigated with Brayton Energy (US company). It is based on wavy fins assembled on flat support plates by brazing. One feature of this concept is the modular assembly of independent cells which leads to a higher flexibility of the modules under thermal loads. Usual tubular concept (diameter around 20 mm) is investigated by AREVA NP. This concept is based on helical tubes bundles similar to the previous designs proposed in Germany for indirect cycle HTR MODULE or in Japan for HTTR. (authors) 188.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21021206
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2006 International congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, Reno - Nevada (United States), 4-8 Jun 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 4 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2006 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, 2734 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Review of Current Experience on Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX) and A Recommended Code Approach
The pre-conceptual design of the nuclear island of ASTRID