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Title: Scaling and Design Analysis of a Sub-Scale, Reduced Temperature Stratified Flow Separate Effects Test Facility for the Experimental Investigation of Air Ingress in a High Temperature Reactor System

Journal Article · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
OSTI ID:22992021
; ;  [1]
  1. Oregon State University, 3451 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States)

High temperature gas reactors (HTGR) are poised to spearhead the next generation of nuclear reactors, due to their passive safety characteristics and their applications flexibility. Able to provide base load power or process heat for industrial applications, HGTRs may be a critical component to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and abroad. However, increased interest and development has also highlighted areas requiring further investigation, one of which being the air-ingress accident. Air ingress may occur following a break in the coaxial cross duct and pressure vessel depressurization. The initial mode of ingress is hypothesized to be density driven cross flow as the cold air enters the lower plenum, at which point molecular diffusion and/or local buoyancy phenomena will dominate until a global natural circulation current is established. While computational simulations support this progression, little or no experimental data exists to validate and support this phenomenology. Therefore, it is necessary to generate such data; this research seeks to do so through the use of a sub-scale separate effects test facility - the Stratified Flow Separate Effects Test Facility (SFSETF). The goal of this facility is more specifically to focus on the transition to global natural circulation starting from air ingress after a double-ended guillotine break (DEGB) while neglecting depressurization. This paper will provide analyses performed in the design of this facility, including the geometric and hydraulic scaling analyses, safety analysis and instrumentation selection. (authors)

OSTI ID:
22992021
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 114, Issue 1; Conference: Annual Meeting of the American Nuclear Society, New Orleans, LA (United States), 12-16 Jun 2016; Other Information: Country of input: France; 5 refs.; Available from American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 United States; ISSN 0003-018X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English