• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.213-224
• /
• 2008

The pumping of coolant in a liquid metal fast reactor may be performed with an annular linear induction electro-magnetic (EM) pump. Linear induction pumps use a traveling magnetic field wave created by poly-phase currents, and the induced currents and their associated magnetic field generate a Lorentz force, whose effect can be the pumping of the liquid metal. The flow behaviors in the pump are very complex, including a time-varying Lorentz force and pressure pulsation, because an induction EM pump has time-varying magnetic fields and the induced convective currents that originate from the flow of the liquid metal. These phenomena lead to an instability problem in the pump arising from the changes of the generated Lorentz forces along the pump's geometry. Therefore, a magneto-hydro-dynamics (MHD) analysis is required for the design and operation of a linear induction EM pump. We have developed a time-harmonic 2-dimensional axisymmetry MHD analysis method based on the Maxwell equations. This paper describes the analysis and numerical method for obtaining solutions for some MHD parameters in an induction EM pump. Experimental test results obtained from an induction EM pump of CLIP-150 at the STC "Sintez," D.V. Efremov Institute of Electro-physical Apparatus in St. Petersburg were used to validate the method. In addition, we investigated some characteristics of a linear induction EM pump, such as the effect of the convective current and the double supply frequency (DSF) pressure pulsation. This simple model overestimated the convective eddy current generated from the sodium flow in the pump channel; however, it had a similar tendency for the measured data of the pump performance through a comparison with the experimental data. Considering its simplicity, it could be a base model for designing an EM pump and for evaluating the MHD flow in an EM pump.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2015

The material properties of crack growth models at an elevated temperature were derived from the results of numerous crack growth tests for Mod.9Cr-1Mo (ASME Grade 91) steel specimens under fatigue loading and creep loading at an elevated temperature. These crack growth models were needed for defect assessment under creep-fatigue loading. The mathematical crack growth rate models for fatigue crack growth (FCG) and creep crack growth (CCG) were determined based on the test results, and the models were compared with those of the French design code RCC-MRx to investigate the conservatism of the code. The French design code RCC-MRx provides an FCG model and a CCG model for Grade 91 steel in Section III Tome 6. It was shown that the FCG model of RCC-MRx is conservative, while the CCG model is non-conservative compared with the present test data. Thus, it was shown that further validation of the property was required. Mechanical strength tests and creep tests were also conducted, and the test results were compared with those of RCC-MRx.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.119-125
• /
• 1994

Transient power level of the fuel rod is one of the key parameters for the transient fuel behavior. Through the analysis of the fuel performance data bases and sensitivity analyses of such parameters as rod power history, fast neutron flux, fuel enrichment and cycle length, which can affect the transient fuel behavior, a methodology generally applicable to find the allowable transient power level during the ANS Conditions I and II below which the mechanical integrity of the fuel rod is maintained was derived, and allowable transient power levels for the 17$\times$17 KOFA fuel rod have been determined as a function of the burnup. With the introduction of this methodology, design analysis of the transient fuel behavior currently being calculated every cycle can be replaced by the simple check of the peak transient power level achievable during the cycle, and an operational flexibility of the reactor can be obtained by allowing higher transient power level up to 689.5 w/cm at low burnup range than current maximum allowable transient power level, 591 w/cm for the 17$\times$17 KOFA fuel.