Advancements in Nuclear Power Plants

Advancements in
Nuclear Power Plants

2
Research Paper Titles
• Physical characteristics of large fast-neutron

sodium-cooled reactors with advanced nitride
and metallic fuels
• Ensuring the corrosion resistance of steels in heavy
liquid metal coolants
• Effects of impurities on heat transfer in lead
coolants
3
Physical characteristics of large fast-

neutron sodium-cooled reactors with
advanced nitride and metallic fuels
• V. I .Matveev, I.V. Malysheva, I.V. Buriyevskiy

• Institute for Physics and Power Engineering
1 Bondarenko Sq., Obninsk, Kaluga Region 249033, Russia
• March 2016
4
Abstract
• The paper presents results of studies that focused on
choosing best possible layout for large fast-neutron
sodium-cooled reactor core.
• Mixed nitride uranium-plutonium fuel is used as advanced
fuel for fast neutron sodium cooled reactor.
• Metallic fuel has been considered as the fuel for fast-
neutron reactors since their early designs due to high
density and heat conductivity.
• A comparison is made between metallic and nitride fuel
considering safety.
5
Nitride Fuels
• Mixed uranium–plutonium nitride fuel is

considered as the base type of fuel for future fast-
neutron commercial power reactors.
• It has high breeding ratio, increased density and
large heat conductivity.
• It has good compatibility with liquid-metal
coolants and cladding materials, especially in
emergencies.
6
Nitride Fuels
• As compared to oxide fuel, nitride fuel provides

for a higher breeding ratio.
• Its high thermal conductivity (seven times as high
as that of oxide fuel) ensures a higher safety of
the facility.
• Nitride fuel is a rigid fuel and has internal
porosity(∼15%)which is formed in the process of
fabrication.
7
Metallic Fuels
• Metallic fuel has been considered as the fuel for fast

reactors since their early designs.
• As compared to ceramic fuel, its powder fabrication
technology and water radiochemistry) turns out to be
significantly cheap.
• One draw back of metallic fuel is intensive interaction
of fuel elements with the steel cladding in high-
temperature conditions.
8
Metallic Fuels
• Zirconium is added to avoid formation of

compounds that may lead to cracking.
• Metallic fuel has a fairly low melting point, and is
so effective only when used with a sodium
contact under layer.
9
Comparison between Fuels

10
Observations
• Fuel elements with a gas under layer require a sodium

space to be above the reactor core for safety. A
potential onset of sodium boiling in the sodium space
leads to an increased neutron leakage from the reactor
core resulting in a negative reactivity effect and a
decrease in the reactor power.
• For the nitride core option with an increased fuel fraction,
the core breeding ratio (CBR) becomes 1.15 and burn up
reactivity change decreases that improves reactor safety.
11
Observations
• When metallic fuel is used, the core breeding ratio is

notably in excess of 1.The use of metallic fuel leads to a
reactivity growth throughout the micro life with the
reactivity value reaching +0.75%. This also increases greatly
(to∼1.8%) the sodium void reactivity effect.
12
Conclusion
• An increase in the sodium void reactivity effect
when metallic fuel is used appears to be
unacceptable in terms of safety.
• Nitride fuel is the best possible choice, which makes
it possible to achieve fundamentally new properties
of the reactor core with an increased fuel fraction
(with CBR>1), and to reduce the reactivity margin to
the minimum while
• Keeping all other effects and the reactivity
coefficients in the acceptable limits.
13
Ensuring the corrosion resistance

of steels in heavy liquid metal
coolants
• A. Yu. Legkikh, R.Sh. Askhadullin, R.P. Sadovnichiy
• Institute for Physics and Power Engineering
1 Bondarenko Sq., Obninsk, Kaluga Region
249033, Russia
• May 2016
14
Key Points
• The paper analyzes up-to-date, experimentally
approved methods and means to provide
conditions for the formation of anticorrosive oxide
films on the surfaces of structural steels.
• The content of the oxygen dissolved in the
coolant is one of the parameters the film integrity
depends on.
• An important HLMC impurity is oxygen in a
dissolved form. When dissolved oxygen is present
in the lead (lead bismuth) coolant, oxide films are
formed on the surfaces which protect against the
corrosive and erosive action.
15
Key Points
• There have been developed the optimal
geometry of the ceramic sensitive element and
the detector design for operation under
conditions of hydro and thermomechanical
effects from the heavy liquid metal coolant.
• The best possible way to control the HLMC
oxygen content is solid-phase technique based
on controlled dissolution of solid-phase lead oxide
in the coolant flow.
16
Effects of impurities on heat transfer

in lead coolants
• V.I. Belozerov, E.R. Sitdikov∗ , Ye.V. Varseev

• Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering
1 Studgorodok, Obninsk 249030, Kaluga Region,
Russia
• May 2016
17
Key Points
• An analysis of the accumulated theoretical base for
the problem under consideration has showed that
earlier studies did not take into account the
presence of impurities in heavy coolants.
• Heavy liquid metal coolants (HLMC) are known to
be specific in a fairly high corrosion activity with
respect to structural materials.
• A study into the current state of the problems
involved in the use of lead coolants has shown that
experimental heat transfer dependencies are not
enough for these to be recommended for
application in modern plants.
18
References
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii
/S2452303816000364
/S2452303816300486?np=y
/S2452303816300474

Advancements in Nuclear Power Plants

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advancements in Nuclear Power Plants

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advancements in Nuclear Power Plants

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advancements in

Nuclear Power Plants

Research Paper Titles

• Physical characteristics of large fast-neutron

Physical characteristics of large fast-

• V. I .Matveev, I.V. Malysheva, I.V. Buriyevskiy

• Mixed uranium–plutonium nitride fuel is

• As compared to oxide fuel, nitride fuel provides

• Metallic fuel has been considered as the fuel for fast

• Zirconium is added to avoid formation of

Comparison between Fuels

• Fuel elements with a gas under layer require a sodium

• When metallic fuel is used, the core breeding ratio is

Ensuring the corrosion resistance

Effects of impurities on heat transfer

• V.I. Belozerov, E.R. Sitdikov∗ , Ye.V. Varseev

You might also like