91Ö±²¥

Sponsored by BEIS Nuclear Innovation Program (NIP), 2017-2021, Grant references: and . Core partner organisations: Frazer-Nash Consultancy (PI), University of Manchester, EDF, Westinghouse, STFC, University of 91Ö±²¥.

Researchers: Dr. Xiaoxue Huang, Mr. Matthew Falcone, Prof. J.D. Jackson, Prof. Shuisheng He

The knowledge gaps and modelling challenges in LMFR are primarily related to two facts. Firstly, the heat transfer characteristics of liquid metal are markedly different from that of conventional fluids (air and water) due to the extremely high thermal conductivity, which makes the heat transfer predictions of conventional turbulence models invalid under most conditions. Secondly, the pool-type reactor designs and the presence of a cover-gas region give rise to thermal hydraulic phenomena which are unique to such reactors.

In this project, we carry out the following investigations: (i) Modelling of Aerosol Dynamics in the Cover Gas Region of a LMFR; (ii) Modelling of the hot plenum of E-SCAPE; (iii) Modelling of the forced and mixed convection in the TALL3D facility; and (iv) Modelling of the thermal striping in a T-junction.

Publications

• Xiaoxue Huang, Shuisheng He, Numerical modelling of cover gas thermal hydraulics in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Volume 355, 2019.
• Xiaoxue Huang. Aerosol dynamics in sodium cover gas region, Technical Report, 2019.
• Xiaoxue Huang. Large eddy simulation of TALL-3D under different flow regimes, Technical Report, 2020.