Page 42 - Thermal Hydraulics Aspects of Liquid Metal Cooled Nuclear Reactors

Thermal-hydraulic challenges 2

in liquid-metal-cooled reactors

†
‡
F. Roelofs*, A. Gerschenfeld , M. Tarantino ,
§
K. Van Tichelen , W. D. Pointer ¶
†
*Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group (NRG), Petten, The Netherlands, CEA, Gif-sur-
¶
§
‡
Yvette, France, ENEA, Kista, Stockholm, Sweden, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium, Oak Ridge
l
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
2.1 Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the thermal-hydraulic challenges that can pre-
sent themselves in liquid-metal-cooled reactors with a focus on pool-type reactors.
In the first two sections, the important process of identification of the challenges is
briefly described, as well as their separation in different categories. As a preview, the
challenges identified are summarized in Fig. 2.1 where they have been subdivided in
basic, core, pool, and system thermal-hydraulic phenomena. All challenges are briefly
described and explained in the subsequent sections.

2.2 Identification

To identify if the thermal-hydraulic challenge designers and safety analysts are con-
fronted with when developing a liquid-metal-cooled reactor, multiple sources have
been consulted.
A first source of information can be found in the various collaborative European
research projects that are performed in the framework programs sponsored by Euro-
pean Commission dealing with SFR and LFR development. Important projects to
be mentioned here are ADRIANA, ASCHLIM, CDT, EISOFAR, ESFR, ELSY,
ESFR-SMART, ESNII+, EUROTRANS, HeLiMnet, LEADER, MAXSIMA,
MYRTE, SEARCH, SESAME, THINS, and VELLA. More information about these
projects can be obtained at the website of the European Commission: http://cordis.
europa.eu/.
A second source consists of information collected by international organizations
and initiatives, such as
the technology road map (GIF, 2002) and it’s update (GIF, 2014) from the Generation IV
l
International Forum;
l the 1999 and 2012 status updates of fast reactor research and technology from the IAEA
(IAEA, 1999, 2012);
l the summary report of the recent IAEA workshop on priorities in modeling and simulation
for fast neutron systems (IAEA, 2014);

Thermal Hydraulics Aspects of Liquid Metal Cooled Nuclear Reactors. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-101980-1.00002-8
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