Kenji Kamiyama

Safety Strategy of JSFR Eliminating Severe Recriticality Events and Establishing In-Vessel Retention in the Core Disruptive Accident

In the Japan Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR) design, elimination of severe power burst events in the Core Disruptive Accident (CDA) is intended as an effective measure to ensure retention of the core materials within the reactor vessel. The design strategy is to control the potential of excessive void reactivity insertion in the initiating phase by selecting appropriate design parameters such as maximum void reactivity on one hand, and to exclude core-wide molten-fuel-pool formation, which has been the main issue of CDA, by introducing an inner duct on the other hand. The effectiveness of these measures is evaluated based on existing experimental data and computer simulation with validated analytical tools. It is judged that the present JSFR design can exclude severe power burst events. Phenomenological consideration of general characteristics and preliminary evaluations for the long-term material relocation and cooling phases gave the perspective that in-vessel retention would be attained with appropriate design measures.

A scenario of core disruptive accident for Japan sodium-cooled fast reactor to achieve in-vessel retention

As the most promising concept of sodium-cooled fast reactors, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has selected the advanced loop-type fast reactor, so-called JSFR. The safety design requirements of JSFR for Design Extension Condition (DEC) are the prevention of severe accidents and the mitigation of severe-accident consequences. For the mitigation of severe-accident consequences, in particular, the In-Vessel Retention (IVR) against postulated Core Disruptive Accidents (CDAs) is required. In order to investigate the sufficiency of these safety requirements, a CDA scenario should be constructed, in which the elimination of power excursion and the in-vessel cooling of degraded core materials are evaluated so as to achieve IVR. In the present study, the factors leading to IVR failure were identified by creating phenomenological diagrams, and the effectiveness of design measures against them were evaluated based on experimental data and computer simulations. This is an unprecedented approach to the construction of a CDA scenario, and is an effective method to objectively investigate the factors leading to IVR failure and the design measures against them. It was concluded that mechanical/thermal failures of the reactor vessel due to power-excursion/thermal-load could be avoided by adequate design measures, and a clear vision for achieving IVR was obtained.

Establishment of freezing model for reactor safety analysis

A mechanistic simulation of molten core-material relocation is required to reasonably assess consequences of postulated core disruptive accidents (CDAs) in fast reactors (FRs). The dynamics of molten core-material freezing when it is driven into the channels surrounding the core region plays an important role since this affects fuel removal from the core region. Therefore, a mechanistic model for freezing behavior was developed and introduced into the FR safety analysis code, SIMMER-III, in this study. Based on the micro-physics of crystallization, two key assumptions, supercooling of melt in the vicinity of the wall and melt-wall contact resistance due to imperfect contact, were introduced. As a result, encouraging agreement both with measured melt-penetration lengths and freezing modes of UO2 and metals was obtained. Furthermore, in order to reinforce the developed model, a semi-empirical correlation to predict the supercooling temperature was found. The developed model with the new correlation reproduced both stainless steel freezing and alumina freezing.

Experimental study on fuel-discharge behaviour through in-core coolant channels

In core-disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors, fuel discharge from the core region reduces the possibility of severe re-criticality events. In-core coolant channels with large hydraulic diameters, such as the control-rod guide tube and a concept of the Fuel Assembly with Inner Duct Structure have a potential to provide effective fuel-discharge paths if effects of sodium in these paths on molten fuel discharge are limited. Two series of experiments were conducted to investigate fuel-discharge behaviour through the sodium-filled channels. In the first series of experiments, an alloy with low melting temperature was ejected into a water channel to clarify dominant phenomena for melt discharge through the coolant-filled channel and to develop methodologies for evaluating the effects of coolant on melt discharge. In the second series of experiments, a molten alumina was discharged through the sodium-filled channel in order to verify the applicability of the knowledge and evaluation methodologies obtained in the first series of experiments to the sodium-filled channel. These series of experiments showed that the discharge path can be entirely voided by the vaporisation of a part of the coolant at the initial melt discharge phase that this is followed by coolant vapour expansion and that melt penetrates significantly into the voided channel. Preliminary extrapolation of the present results to the in-core coolant channel suggests that the effects of the sodium on fuel discharge are limited and, therefore, in-core coolant channels will provide effective fuel-discharge paths for reducing neutronic activity.

Distance for fragmentation of a simulated molten-core material discharged into a sodium pool

A series of experiments has been carried out to obtain experimental knowledge on the distance for fragmentation of a molten core material discharged into the sodium plenum during postulated core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors. In the current experiments, 0.9 kg of molten aluminum (initial temperature: around 1473 K) was discharged into a sodium pool (diameter: 0.11 m, depth: 1 m, initial temperature: 673 K) through a nozzle (inner diameter: 20 mm). Visual observation of the fragmentation behavior was performed using an X-ray imaging system. The following experimental results were obtained. (1) Liquid column of molten aluminum was intensively fragmented almost simultaneously with a rapid expansion of sodium vapor in the vicinity of the column. (2) Due to the intensive fragmentation, penetration of the liquid column was limited to approximately 100 mm or so from the sodium level. (3) The molten aluminum was rapidly cooled after the intensive fragmentation. Based on these results, the distance for fragmentation of the liquid column was estimated to be 100 mm in the experiments. Through the current experiment, useful knowledge was obtained for the future development of an evaluation method of the distance for fragmentation of the molten core material.

Development of an Evaluation Methodology for the Fuel-Relocation Into the Coolant Plenum in the Core Disruptive Accident of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

In the case of postulated core disruptive accidents (CDAs) of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), fuel relocation out of the core region decrease the potential for severe power excursions caused by recriticality and control-rod guide tubes (CRGTs) provide an effective path for fuel-relocation. Therefore, a methodology for evaluating molten-fuel relocation through CRGTs is required in order to realistically evaluate sequences and consequences of CDAs. Since the liquid sodium exists at the coolant plenum, pressurizations and coolant void development associated with fuel-coolant interactions (FCIs) are considered to affect fuel-relocation. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to develop the methodology for evaluation of molten-fuel relocation into the coolant plenum with FCIs. In the present study, the SIMMER code which has been developed for CDA analyses was utilized as a technical basis since this code can treat multi-phase, multi-component fluid dynamics with phase-changes supposed to take place in the coolant plenum during fuel-relocation. The evaluation methodology was developed through validations of the SIMMER code using experimental data. A series of fundamental experiments were selected for model validations in which an alloy with low melting temperature and water were used as simulant materials for the fuel and the coolant respectively since the experiments were performed under a simulated CDA condition of SFRs in which a liquid-liquid direct contact was maintained between the melt and water contact surface, and the visual observation on FCI process was effective to validate models based on phenomenological considerations. The code was validated by two steps: In the first step, fundamental validations of melt-discharge into the coolant were performed, namely, momentum exchange functions of flowing-melt both to the wall of relocation-path and to the coolant were validated based on experimental data in which effects of FCIs on melt-discharge into the coolant were eliminated or negligible. In the second step, comprehensive validations of melt-ejection into the coolant were performed, namely, models which affect heat-exchange between the melt and the coolant were validated based on experimental data in which the melt was relocated into the coolant with FCIs. The second step validation required model improvements for suppression of melt-coolant interfacial area based on the results of visual observation in the experiments in order to reproduce the experimental results appropriately. Through the present model validations, the methodology to evaluate molten-fuel relocation into the coolant plenum with FCIs was successfully developed.Copyright

Experimental studies on the upward fuel discharge for elimination of severe recriticality during core-disruptive accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors

In order to eliminate the energetic potential in the case of postulated core-disruptive accidents (CDAs) of sodium-cooled fast reactors, introduction of a fuel subassembly with an inner-duct structure (FAIDUS) has been considered. Recently, a design option of FAIDUS which leads molten fuel to upward discharge has been considered as the reference core design of the Japan Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR). In this study, a series of experiments which consisted of three out-of-pile tests and one in-pile test were conducted to obtain experimental knowledge of the upward discharge of molten fuel. Experimental data which showed a sequence of upward fuel discharge and effects of initial pressure conditions on upward discharge were obtained through the out-of-pile and in-pile test. Preliminary extrapolation of the present results to the supposed condition in the early phase of the CDA in the JSFR design suggests that the sufficient upward flow rate of molten fuel is expected to prevent the core melting from progressing beyond the fuel subassembly scale and that the upward discharge option will be effective in eliminating the energetic potential.

Development of the evaluation methodology for the material relocation behavior in the core disruptive accident of sodium-cooled fast reactors

The in-vessel retention (IVR) of core disruptive accident (CDA) is of prime importance in enhancing safety characteristics of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). In the CDA of SFRs, molten core material relocates to the lower plenum of reactor vessel and may impose significant thermal load on the structures, resulting in the melt-through of the reactor vessel. In order to enable the assessment of this relocation process and prove that IVR of core material is the most probable consequence of the CDA in SFRs, a research program to develop the evaluation methodology for the material relocation behavior in the CDA of SFRs has been conducted. This program consists of three developmental studies, namely the development of the analysis method of molten material discharge from the core region, the development of evaluation methodology of molten material penetration into sodium pool, and the development of the simulation tool of debris bed behavior. The analysis method of molten material discharge was developed based on the computer code SIMMER-III since this code is designed to simulate the multi-phase, multi-component fluid dynamics with phase changes involved in the discharge process. Several experiments simulating the molten material discharge through duct using simulant materials were utilized as the basis of validation study of the physical models in this code. It was shown that SIMMER-III with improved physical models could simulate the molten material discharge behavior, including the momentum exchange with duct wall and thermal interaction with coolant. In order to develop an evaluation methodology of molten material penetration into sodium pool, a series of experiments simulating jet penetration behavior into sodium pool in SFR thermal condition were performed. These experiments revealed that the molten jet was fragmented in significantly shorter penetration length than the prediction by existing correlation for light water reactor conditions, due to the direct contact and thermal interaction of molten materials with coolant. The fragmented core materials form a sediment debris bed in the lower plenum. It is necessary to remove decay heat safely from this debris bed to achieve IVR. A simulation code to analyze the behavior of debris bed with decay heat was developed based on SIMMER-III code by implementing physical models, which simulate the interaction among solid particles in the bed. The code was validated by several experiments on the fluidization of particle bed by two-phase flow. These evaluation methodologies will serve as a basis for advanced safety assessment technology of SFRs in the future.

Improvement of a physical model for blockage formation of solid–liquid mixture flow with freezing for core safety evaluation of SFRs

ABSTRACT The SIMMER code has been developed to analyze event progression during core disruptive accidents (CDAs) in sodium-cooled fast reactors. One of the key phenomena during CDAs is the discharge of molten fuel from the core region which reduces the reactivity effectively. The discharge flow is inhibited by blockage formation due to freezing of the molten fuel. Then, the blockage formation is enhanced by unmolten fuel which forms solid–liquid mixture flow with the molten fuel. A physical model for blockage formation of solid–liquid mixture flow with freezing in the SIMMER code is improved in this study to dissolve some inconsistencies between the modeling and the physical phenomena involved in the solid–liquid mixture flow with freezing for more precise evaluation of CDA. The improved model is validated with a systematical procedure through a benchmark analysis of an experiment. Consequently, experimental penetration behaviors are simulated reasonably by the SIMMER code analysis with the improved model while excessive blockage formation occurred in the analysis with the original model.

Sedimentation behavior of mixed solid particles

ABSTRACT During the material relocation phase of core-disruptive accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors, the sedimentation behavior of fragmented debris discharged from the reactor core into the lower plenum region leading to a debris-bed formation is crucial in regard to in-vessel retention and safety concerns. The height of the beds formed may influence both the cooling of the bed from the decay heat in the fuel and the neutronic characteristics. To develop an experimental database of bed formation behavior, a series of experiments using simulant materials, namely, Al2O3, ZrO2, and stainless steel, were performed under gravity-driven discharge of solid particles from a nozzle into a quiescent cylindrical water pool. The bed height was measured for particles of different size, density, and sphericity, and an injection nozzle with varying diameter, injection velocity, and injection height. From these experiments, an empirical correlation was established to predict the bed height for both homogeneous and mixed particles for the different properties. This correlation reproduces reasonably well the experimental trend in bed height with critical factors, which were identified in this and previous experiments.