Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Robust technique using magnetohydrodynamics for safety improvement in sodium-cooled fast reactor

  • Lee, Jong Hui (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Park, Il Seouk (School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University)
  • Received : 2021.04.15
  • Accepted : 2021.08.19
  • Published : 2022.02.25
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Abstract

Among Generation IV reactors, the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is attracting attention as a system having great potential for commercial use. Gas entrainment is a thermal-hydraulic issue related to the safety problem of the reactor core in the SFR. Typically, a dipped plate or baffles are installed under the free surface to suppress gas entrainment. However, these approaches can cause gas entrainment in other locations and require many trial-and-error and verifications. In this study, a new strategy using magnetohydrodynamics to suppress gas entrainment in the SFR is proposed. In a counter-flow model, a judgment criterion of gas entrainment occurrence was developed for both water and liquid metal. Moreover, the gas entrainment can be completely suppressed by applying a magnetic field.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Korea Government (Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning - Grant No. NRF-2017M2B2A9A02039561, NRF-2017M2A8A4017283 and NRF-2019R1A2C3003890).

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