Authors:

Tim Lane

Date Created:

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About Paper:

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) are widely considered one of the safest next-generation nuclear power plants because they use helium, an inert gas, as coolant and especially stable TRISO fuel. In the case of a breach in the cooling system, helium can escape and eventually, air containing oxygen can enter the system and react with the graphite in the core of the reactor, permanently damaging the most expensive asset of the plant. This study attempts to characterize the HTGR buildings' response during such a break. Tests were conducted using a 1:28 scale model of a 350MW HTGR. Helium was injected into the apparatus until the internal pressure reached 1 psig, the actuation pressure of a commercial plant's louvers. A ball valve on one end was opened to mimic louver actuation and was left open with helium continually being injected for a period determined using the flow rate, temperature, and pre-established scaling laws before being considered "exhausted" and being turned off. Temperature and oxygen concentration in various parts of the reactor cavity, which houses the reactor pressure vessel, steam generator cavity, and vent flow path, were monitored for approximately 24 hours. Trials varied flow rate, break location and temperature. Results from these tests have shown that the system behavior is highly dependent on coolant break location. Scaled experimental data sets presented can assist HTGR vendors with information to impellent necessary engineering designs to protect their products during sever accident scenarios. A robust HTGR capable of restarting after serious accidents is expected to draw further investment and deployment resulting in a clean and reliable energy source for the U.S.

Source:

Purdue University / 2023

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Tim Lane