Present Status in the Netherlands of Research Relevant to High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Design J. C. Kuijper, A.I. van Heek, J.B.M. de Haas (NRG) R. Conrad, M. Burghartz (JRC-IE) J.L. Kloosterman (IRI/TU Delft) OECD NEA NSC Meeting Second Information Exchange Meeting on Survey of Basic Studies in the Field of High Temperature Engineering 10-12 October 2001, Paris
Introduction • Update on HTR-related HFR irradiation experiments since 1st IEM (1999) • Extension to auxiliary experiments, model calculations and software development, auxiliary studies • Overview/highlights only! • Organisations: – JRC-IE (previously JRC-IAM) – NRG (merger of nuclear units of KEMA Arnhem and ECN Petten) – IRI, Delft University of Technology – others...
Outline • Introduction • Characteristics of HFR Petten • HFR irradiation experiments and (calculational) support – Irradiations of HTR fuel – Irradiations of HTR structural materials (graphite/RPV steel) • Auxiliary experiments • Model calculations and software development • Auxiliary studies
Characteristics of HFR Petten • Multipurpose materials testing reactor • Light-water cooled & moderated, tank-in-vessel type • 45 MW nominal power • 19 in-vessel core positions for material testing • Pool side facility for out-of-vessel testing • Utilization for fission, waste and fusion related R&D • Radioisotope production and medical application as BNCT • Neutron-radiography, activation analysis • 12 beam tubes
HFR Programme • HFR belonging to the JRC-IE of the EC • Four years Supplementary Programme, 2000 - 2003, supported by European Council decision of 6.12.1999 • Since 1996, HFR managed and operated by joint and single organizational structure between JRC-IE and NRG, the HFR Unit • Aim: market oriented approach and concentration of long- standing competences in exploiting nuclear facilities
HFR irradiation experiments and (calculational) support (1) •Annual programme: –11 cycles per year –~ 25 full power days per cycle –annual availability more than 270 full power days –outstanding record since initial start in 1961 •Operating strategy: –operation at preset and reproducible conditions –preset time schedule –regular update of plant –new reactor vessel in operation since 1985
HFR irradiation experiments and (calculational) support (2) • Infrastructure and on-site services: – Computational studies provided by NRG (neutronics, thermal hydraulics, mechanics); pre-irradiation and follow-up – Design of irradiation facilities by JRC-IE and NRG – Fabrication and quality control by ECN (ISO 9001) – NDE (neutron radiography) and X-ray available at JRC-IE and NRG – PIE at NRG hot cell labs – Waste disposal by NRG
HFR irradiation experiments and (calculational) support (3) • Past experiences with HTR fuel and graphite irradiation experiments: see paper and IEM1 • Present activities in HTR fuel irradiation experiments: – HFR-EU1 (irradiation of fuel pebbles; EU 5FP “HTR-F”) – HFR-EU2 (irradiation of GA fuel compacts) • Present activities regarding irradiation of HTR structural materials: – RPV material irradiation in LYRA facility (EU 5FP “HTR-M”) – Graphite irradiation planned for 2001-2005 (EU 5FP “HTR-M1”)
HFR-EU1 HFR-EU1 HFR-EU1 test -EU1 test • HFR-EU1 is the first irradiation within the HTR-F project under the umbrella of HTR-TN • Three spherical fuel elements with LEU reference coated particle fuel, type GLE-4 • Irradiation starts in 2002 • Extreme high burn-up test up to 20 % FIMA within 2 years • Fuel has been designed for 8.9 % FIMA, but was qualified up to 15 % in capsule tests and up to 20 % in AVR mass test without irradiation induced failure of particle coatings
Irradiation parameters • Required and maximum allowable parameters – Temperature: • 800°C at surface of FE, average of poles & equator • 1100°C is the max. allowable central temperature (theoretical value) – Fission power: • Max. allowable power is 2400 W, considering 9600 CPs per FE – Burn-up: • Required is 200 GWd/t HM for the highest loaded • The lowest loaded fuel element will receive ~170 GWd/t HM – Fast neutron fluence: • The max. allowable fast fluence is: 8 x 10 25 m -2 (E >0.1 MeV)
Design of Facility Design of Facility • Design of in-pile facility: – Sample holder with 2 independent capsules in REFA-172 thimble – Fuel elements are doubly contained – Instrumentation consists of thermocouples, dosimeters and purge gas lines – Fuel elements are hold in place by graphite half-shells – Capsules are purged with high-purity He for surveillance of fission gas release – Adjustable gas mixture in REFA containment serves for temperature control – Option for vertical displacement of sample holder to optimize fluence profile – Option to use built-in fission gas filters in case of high release of fission gases – Options to tailor neutron spectrum
Design scheme HFR-EU1 rig Spherical 60 mm FE
Auxiliary experiments • HTR-PROTEUS reactivity effects (IRI) – several reactivity measurement methodes (pulsed neutron source, inverse kinetics, noise analysis) – analysis by Monte Carlo and deterministic codes • HTTR start-up core physics (NRG, IRI) – IAEA CRP “Evaluation of HTGR Performance” – calculational benchmark: intercomparison of SCALE/KENO/BOLD-VENTURE (IRI) and WIMS/PANTHERMIX (NRG) – calculations in agreement with reactivity measurements • Long-term behaviour of disposed spent HTR fuel (NRG) – EU 5FP “HTR-N” and “HTR-N1” Work Package 5 – leaching experiments on SiC and fuel kernels (both unirradiated and irradiated)
Model calculations and software development • South African PBMR: typical pebble bed nuclear power plant for utilities: – Core physics (NRG) – Shielding (NRG) – CFD analysis of primary pipe rupture (NRG) • ACACIA (INCOGEN): small (40 MWth) combined heat and power unit: – Safety analysis – Fission product transport • Other: – Pu-incineration in HTR (EU 5FP “HTR-N” and “HTR-N1”) (NRG, IRI) – HTR with burnable poison (IRI, NRG) – HTR system dynamics (IRI, NRG)
PBMR core phyics (NRG) (1) • Extension of the PANTHERMIX code system (3-D neutronics; 2-D R-Z HTR thermal hydraulics) for the modelling of pebble bed reactors with continuous fuel circulation • Investigation of equilibrium condition • Investigation of burn-in scenario • To attain real equilibrium at least 10 passes required
PBMR core physics (2)
HTR with burnable poison (IRI, NRG) (1) • Fundamental study on cell level by IRI • Aim: minimize reactivity swing as function of the irradiation time • NRG recently started an investigation on the use of burnable poison in a “cartridge core” ACACIA
Computational model Macro cell Micro cell Fuel zone Burnable Particle (The radius of the fuel zone determines the effective number of fuel particles per burnable particles in a pebble)
The k ∞ ∞ as a function of the irradiation time for the reference case without ∞ ∞ BP and for spherical "hollow" burnable particles with different radii. 1.3 Reference Hollow BP R=0.46mm - Vfuel / V BP = 10300 1.25 Hollow BP R=0.3mm - Vfuel / V BP = 10300 1.2 1.15 Kinfinitive 1.1 1.05 1 0.95 0.9 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 EFPD
The k ∞ ∞ as a function of the irradiation time for the reference case ∞ ∞ without BP and for spherical burnable particles with different radii. 1.3 R=0.3 mm - Vfuel / VBP = 7 500 R=0.46 mm - Vfuel / VBP = 7 500 1.25 Reference 1.2 1.15 Kinfinite 1.1 1.05 1 0.95 0.9 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 EFPD
Auxiliary studies • Since beginning of the 90’s organisations in the Netherlands are involved in auxiliary studies concerning HTR design • INCOGEN programme (Innovative Nuclear COGENeration): – plant layout – ECS design – control philosophy – inspection and maintenance – licensing – economics and market potential • Present activities include: – RPV materials database (JRC-IE with CEA) – Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (NRG) – Revised cost assessment for ACACIA direct nuclear cogeneration plant (NRG)
Summary • JRC’s HFR Petten still very important: numerous test irradiations of fuels and other materials relevant to HTR design • Since beginning of 90’s growing involvement and expertise of Dutch organisations in other HTR-related investigations • International framework
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