Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics : Past, Present and Future

158 Pages·2017·38.076 MB·English

by  Pradip Saha

nuclear engineering and technology
for the 21st century – monograph series
Nuclear Reactor
Thermal-Hydraulics:
Past, Present and
Future
pradip saha
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd i Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
© 2017, The american society of mechanical engineers (asme), 2 park avenue, new york, Series Editors’ Preface
ny 10016, usa (www.asme.org)
all rights reserved. printed in the united states of america. except as permitted under the united Nuclear Engineering and Technology for the 21st Century—
states copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form
Monographs Series
or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of
the publisher. Nuclear engineering and technology play a vital role in achieving low
carbon emission goals worldwide, while providing reliable, baseload
information contained in this WorK has Been oBtained By the
american society of mechanical engineers from sources BelieVed power to the world economy. Presently over 12 percent of the world’s
to Be reliaBle. hoWeVer, neither asme nor its authors or editors energy needs are satisfied by nuclear power—with 30 countries operat-
guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information
ing 436 nuclear power plants and 3 countries (France, Slovakia, and
puBlished in this WorK. neither asme nor its authors and editors
shall Be responsiBle for any errors, omissions, or damages arising Belgium) using nuclear power to provide over half their power needs
out of the use of this information. the WorK is puBlished With the
(source: Nuclear Energy Institute: http://www.nei.org).
understanding that asme and its authors and editors are supplying
information But are not attempting to render engineering or The country with the largest number of operational nuclear power
other professional serVices. if such engineering or professional plants (the United States) has 102 plants and uses nuclear power to
serVices are reQuired, the assistance of an appropriate professional
provide over 19 percent of its needs. Concurrently, the advanced nuclear
should Be sought.
power plant designs are the basis for extensive, ongoing research and
asme shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in papers or . . . printed in its pub-
development efforts in many countries with the promise of enhanced
lications (B7.1.3). statement from the Bylaws.
sustainability, safety, and proliferation-free power-sources with ever-
for authorization to photocopy material for internal or personal use under those circumstances not fall- higher operational efficiencies and capacity factors. Consequently, there
ing within the fair use provisions of the copyright act, contact the copyright clearance center (ccc),
are many fruitful topics of interest in the nuclear engineering field to be
222 rosewood drive, danvers, ma 01923, tel: [phone], www.copyright.com.
addressed in this exciting monograph series.
requests for special permission or bulk reproduction should be addressed to the asme publishing
The Nuclear Engineering and Technology for the 21st Century mono-
department, or submitted online at https://www.asme.org/shop/books/book-proposals/permissions
graph series provides current and future engineers, researchers, techni-
asme press books are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums or for use in corporate cians and other professionals and practitioners with practical, concise
training programs. for more information, contact special sales at [email protected]
but key information concerning the nuclear technologies from areas of
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data medical applications, mining, processing and manufacturing, environ-
mental monitoring to safe and energy-efficient plant operation and elec-
names: saha, p. (pradip), author.
tricity generation. Each monograph should provide a well rounded and
title: nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics : past, present and future / by pradip saha.
description: new york : asme press, [2017] | includes bibliographical references. definitive state-of-the-art review of its subject, with a focus on applied
identifiers: lccn 2016051235 | isBn 9780791861288
research and development, and best industry practices, processes and
subjects: lcsh: nuclear reactors--cooling. | nuclear reactors--fluid dynamics. | nuclear reactors--
Thermodynamics. | nuclear reactors--safety measures. | Thermal hydraulics. related technological applications. The series is envisaged as a collection
classification: lcc tK9212 .s245 2017 | ddc 621.48/336--dc23 lc record available at https:// of 80 to 100 pages monograph publications which can stand as the most
lccn.loc.gov/2016051235
authoritative source of information on current state of a topic, applica-
tion or discipline. Core topics include, but are not limited to:
• best practices in power plant operation
• nuclear science and technology in medicine,
• irradiation technologies and applications,
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
Series Editors’ Preface
Nuclear Engineering and Technology for the 21st Century—
Monographs Series
Nuclear engineering and technology play a vital role in achieving low
carbon emission goals worldwide, while providing reliable, baseload
power to the world economy. Presently over 12 percent of the world’s
energy needs are satisfied by nuclear power—with 30 countries operat-
ing 436 nuclear power plants and 3 countries (France, Slovakia, and
Belgium) using nuclear power to provide over half their power needs
(source: Nuclear Energy Institute: http://www.nei.org).
The country with the largest number of operational nuclear power
plants (the United States) has 102 plants and uses nuclear power to
provide over 19 percent of its needs. Concurrently, the advanced nuclear
power plant designs are the basis for extensive, ongoing research and
development efforts in many countries with the promise of enhanced
sustainability, safety, and proliferation-free power-sources with ever-
higher operational efficiencies and capacity factors. Consequently, there
are many fruitful topics of interest in the nuclear engineering field to be
addressed in this exciting monograph series.
The Nuclear Engineering and Technology for the 21st Century mono-
graph series provides current and future engineers, researchers, techni-
cians and other professionals and practitioners with practical, concise
but key information concerning the nuclear technologies from areas of
medical applications, mining, processing and manufacturing, environ-
mental monitoring to safe and energy-efficient plant operation and elec-
tricity generation. Each monograph should provide a well rounded and
definitive state-of-the-art review of its subject, with a focus on applied
research and development, and best industry practices, processes and
related technological applications. The series is envisaged as a collection
of 80 to 100 pages monograph publications which can stand as the most
authoritative source of information on current state of a topic, applica-
tion or discipline. Core topics include, but are not limited to:
• best practices in power plant operation
• nuclear science and technology in medicine,
• irradiation technologies and applications,
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
iv Nuclear Reactor
• fuel cycle processes, engineering and technologies,
• nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics and/or neutronics
• materials for current and advance power generation
• nuclear safety and environmental impact
• next generation of nuclear power plants
• radiation in our environment
• radioecology, radiobiology, radiation chemistry
Series Editors:
Dr. Jovica Riznic, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Dr. Richard Schultz, Idaho National Laboratory
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd iv Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd v Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
• fuel cycle processes, engineering and technologies,
Contents
• nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics and/or neutronics
• materials for current and advance power generation
Series Editors’ Preface iii
• nuclear safety and environmental impact Abstract vii
• next generation of nuclear power plants Acknowledgements ix
• radiation in our environment 1. Introduction 1
1.1 nuclear fission and heat generation 3
• radioecology, radiobiology, radiation chemistry
1.2 reactor classification 7
1.3 role of thermal hydraulics 13
Series Editors:
1.3.1 desired features of a reactor coolant 13
1.3.2 reactor thermal hydraulics during normal operation 15
Dr. Jovica Riznic, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
1.3.3 reactor thermal hydraulics during abnormal
Dr. Richard Schultz, Idaho National Laboratory or accident conditions 16
1.4 scope of this monograph 18
2. Steady state reactor thermal-hydraulics 19
2.1 single-phase reactor core flow 19
2.2 two-phase boiling core flow 20
2.2.1 Void-quality relationship 23
2.2.2 pressure drop 24
2.3 departure from nucleate boiling and boiling transition 25
2.3.1 lower-quality chf 26
2.3.2 higher-quality chf or boiling transition 27
2.3.3 enhancement of chf or critical power 29
2.3.4 margin to critical condition 31
2.4 subchannel analysis 34
2.4.1 traditional approach 34
2.4.2 two-fluid three-field approach 43
3. Nuclear reactor safety systems 55
3.1 active safety systems 55
3.1.1 generation ii pWrs 56
3.1.2 generation ii BWrs 58
3.1.3 generation ii phWrs 60
3.1.4 generation iii pWrs and BWr 61
3.2 passive safety systems 68
3.2.1 ap1000 69
3.2.2 esBWr 72
3.2.3 light water cooled and advanced smrs 75
4. Nuclear reactor safety analysis 81
4.1 pre-1975 methodology (conservative analysis) 82
4.2 development of best-estimate methodology (1975–1990) 85
4.3 consolidation of best-estimate methodology (1991–present) 97
4.3.1 application for performance enhancement and economics 97
4.3.2 application to new reactors 101
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd iv Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd v Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
vi Nuclear Reactor
4.4 methodology for the future (2010–) 103
4.4.1 interfacial area transport equation 103
4.4.2 computational fluid dynamics 105
4.4.3 consortium for advanced simulation of lWrs (casl) 108
4.5 analysis of generation iV reactors 111
5. Summary and conclusions 115
References 119
Author biography 141
Index 143
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd vi Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd vii Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
Abstract
This monograph summarizes the major developments on nuclear re-
actor thermal-hydraulics over the last fifty years, primarily for the
water-cooled reactors, and provides a direction for the future thermal-
hydraulic developments for water-cooled, including small modular re-
actors or smr, and generation iV reactors. This includes discussion
on the steady-state reactor thermal hydraulics including subchannel
analysis, evolution of emergency core cooling systems (eccs) from ac-
tive to fully passive systems to remove the decay heat, and development
and consolidation of the best-estimate safety analysis methodology.
With substantial increase in computing power, the computational fluid
dynamics (cfd) tools for single-phase and multi-phase flows are being
used more these days to address some of the important reactor thermal-
hydraulics phenomena which could not be analyzed earlier using the
traditional one-dimensional or coarse three-dimensional analysis tools.
development of multi-physics methodology encompassing neutronics,
thermal-hydraulics, thermal-mechanical and coolant chemistry has also
started.
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd vi Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd vii Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd ix Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
Acknowledgements
The author thanks the management of ge hitachi nuclear energy
(geh) for granting permission for preparation of this monograph and
allowing its publication within the asme “nuclear engineering and
technology for the 21st century” concise monograph series. review
of the manuscript and valuable comments provided by the author’s
colleagues at geh, Brett dooies and glen Watford, are gratefully
acknowledged. comments and suggestions of the external reviewers
are also appreciated.
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
ASME_Nuclear_Reactor_FM.indd ix Manila Typesetting Company 01/31/2017 11:28PM
Downloaded From: http://ebooks.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/books/2059/ on 07/05/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use