Rqmts, Design for Potassium Test Loop - Rankine Cycle Power Conversion Sys

146 Pages·2005·7.176 MB·English

ORNL/TM-2005/226

Test Requirements and Conceptual
Design for a Potassium Test Loop to
Support an Advanced Potassium Rankine
Cycle Power Conversion System

G. L. Yoder, Jr.
R. W. Murphy
C. B. Oland
J. J. Carbajo
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

G. M. O’Connor
Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne

M. N. Nikitkin
Swales Aerospace
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ORNL/TM-2005/226

TEST REQUIREMENTS AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR
A POTASSIUM TEST LOOP TO SUPPORT AN ADVANCED
POTASSIUM RANKINE CYCLE POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM

G. L. Yoder, Jr.
R. W. Murphy
C. B. Oland
J. J. Carbajo
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

G. M. O’Connor
Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne

M. N. Nikitkin
Swales Aerospace

September 30, 2005

Prepared for the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Technology Development Program for an Advanced Potassium Rankine Power Conversion
System Compatible with Several Space Reactor Designs

Prepared by the
OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
managed by
UT-BATTELLE, LLC
for the
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725
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CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................1-1
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................1-1
1.1 TESTING PROGRAM................................................................................................1-2
1.2 SCOPE AND OBJECTIVE.........................................................................................1-2
1.3 TEST CONFIGURATIONS........................................................................................1-2
1.4 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................1-7
2. TESTING CRITERIA...........................................................................................................2-1
2.1 BEARING AND SEAL TESTS...................................................................................2-1
2.2 TWO-PHASE FLOW TESTS......................................................................................2-5
2.3 HEAT PIPE TESTS.....................................................................................................2-7
2.4 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................2-9
3. TEST FACILITY DESIGN AND OPERATING REQUIREMENTS..................................3-1
3.1 STAINLESS STEEL PIPING SYSTEM.....................................................................3-1
3.2 INSULATED SPLASH SHIELD..............................................................................3-10
3.3 VENTILATED ENCLOSURE..................................................................................3-11
3.4 POTASSIUM STORAGE AND HANDLING REQUIREMENTS..........................3-15
3.5 EX-LOOP POTASSIUM PURIFICATION SYSTEM..............................................3-18
3.6 EX-LOOP CLEAN-UP SYSTEM.............................................................................3-19
3.7 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................3-19
4. SYSTEM OPERATIONS......................................................................................................4-1
4.1 NORMAL OPERATIONS..........................................................................................4-1
4.2 ABNORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS..............................................................4-7
4.3 DECOMMISSIONING..............................................................................................4-10
4.4 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................4-10
5. ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS................................5-1
5.1 STANDARDS BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.................................................5-1
5.2 ISMS IMPLEMENTATION........................................................................................5-6
5.3 COMPRESSED-GAS CYLINDER STORAGE........................................................5-10
5.4 EMERGENCY RESPONSE......................................................................................5-10
5.5 MATERIAL REUSE AND HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL...........................5-10
5.6 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................5-10
6. TEST FACILITY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN........................................................................6-1
6.1 BUILDING 5800, ROOM D111..................................................................................6-1
6.2 POTASSIUM TEST LOOP.........................................................................................6-3
6.3 SPLASH SHIELD AND GLOVE BOX....................................................................6-20
6.4 LIQUID-METAL TEST FACILITY.........................................................................6-22
6.5 POTASSIUM CLEANUP EQUIPMENT..................................................................6-25
6.6 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................6-25
7. ENGINEERING ANALYSIS AND SUPPORTING CALCULATIONS.............................7-1
7.1 PRESSURE DROP CALCULATIONS.......................................................................7-1
7.2 GETTER CONSIDERATIONS...................................................................................7-7
7.3 POTASSIUM-ARGON SEPARATION......................................................................7-9
7.4 TEMPERATURE OSCILLATIONS IN LIQUID-METAL BOILERS....................7-13
7.5 PIPING ANALYSIS AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.....................................7-20
7.6 REFERENCES...........................................................................................................7-21
8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................8-1
Appendix A. HYDROGEN GENERATION ANALYSIS..........................................................A-1
Appendix B. PIPING ANALYSIS AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.................................B-1
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1.1 Potassium test loop considerations........................................................................ 1-3
1.2 Potassium test loop schematic............................................................................... 1-4
1.3 Heat pipe schematic.............................................................................................. 1-6
1.4 Cross section of the proposed heat pipe................................................................ 1-7
2.1 Baseline Rankine cycle schematic chosen for the 100-kW(e) system.................. 2-3
2.2 Flow schematic for the 115-kW(e) Rankine system............................................. 2-4
3.1 DOT placard for Class 4.3 materials..................................................................... 3-15
3.2 14-kg metal DOT approved shipping container for transporting potassium......... 3-16
3.3 Large metal shipping container for transporting potassium.................................. 3-17
3.4 Preliminary conceptual design of the stainless steel piping system...................... 3-18
6.1 Aerial view of Oak Ridge National Laboratory main campus.............................. 6-2
6.2 Potassium test loop conceptual design.................................................................. 6-4
6.3 Potassium loop process instrumentation and control diagram.............................. 6-6
6.4 Sump tank conceptual design................................................................................ 6-7
6.5 Getter assembly conceptual design....................................................................... 6-8
6.6 Potassium level detector and instrumentation schematic...................................... 6-9
6.7 Wear and bearing test fixture conceptual design................................................... 6-13
6.8 Three-axis dovetail slide....................................................................................... 6-16
6.9 Splash shield and glove box conceptual design.................................................... 6-21
6.10 Glove box conceptual design................................................................................ 6-23
6.11 LMTF conceptual design...................................................................................... 6-24
7.1 Proposed potassium test loop configuration.......................................................... 7-2
7.2 Calculated pressure drops for different pipe sizes with and without
the boiler............................................................................................................... 7-4
7.3 Calculated liquid potassium velocities for different temperatures
and piping sizes..................................................................................................... 7-4
7.4 Calculated pressure drops for single-phase (three temperatures)
and two-phase flow tests....................................................................................... 7-5
7.5 Calculated pressure drops for two-phase boiling at 1000 K and single-phase
liquid at 700 K with the boiler (insert P/D = 2) and the condenser installed
in the loop.............................................................................................................. 7-6
7.6 Sphere drag coefficient (potassium/argon systems).............................................. 7-10
7.7 Terminal velocity vs drop diameter (potassium sphere in argon)......................... 7-11
7.8 Terminal velocity vs bubble diameter (argon sphere in potassium)...................... 7-12
7.9 DNB point for the lithium/potassium boiler with temperature gradients
on both sides of boiler wall................................................................................... 7-14
7.10 Design fatigue curve for the CRBR boiler material at 399ºC............................... 7-17
7.11 Fatigue assessment results..................................................................................... 7-19
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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

2.1 Criteria for bearing and seal tests.......................................................................... 2-1
2.2 Heat pipe measurement requirements................................................................... 2-9
3.1 Condenser parameters for potassium test loop...................................................... 3-3
3.2 Bearing and seal test fixture requirements............................................................ 3-4
3.3 Bearing and seal test vessel and test vessel drain system requirements................ 3-5
3.4 Minimum test loop instrumentation requirements................................................ 3-9
3.5 LMTF design requirements................................................................................... 3-11
4.1 Pressure and temperature requirements for key operations................................... 4-1
4.2 Loss-of-potassium containment events................................................................. 4-7
5.1 Core functions and guiding principles of ORNL’s Integrated Safety
Management System............................................................................................. 5-2
5.2 Key Work Smart Standards potentially applicable to the Advanced
Potassium Rankine Power Conversion System..................................................... 5-3
5.3 Potential hazards for potassium and its reaction products.................................... 5-7
6.1 General loop fluid criteria..................................................................................... 6-3
6.2 Valve alignment operating mode schedule........................................................... 6-4
6.3 Boiler parameter options....................................................................................... 6-11
7.1 Comparison of Space Reactor and CRBR boilers................................................. 7-15
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