Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer

Long-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) investigated several reactor designs from 1959 to 1973 in order to develop the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA). Study of planned/unplanned...

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Main Authors: Jivan Khatry, Fatih Aydogan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1345938
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author Jivan Khatry
Fatih Aydogan
author_facet Jivan Khatry
Fatih Aydogan
author_sort Jivan Khatry
collection DOAJ
description Long-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) investigated several reactor designs from 1959 to 1973 in order to develop the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA). Study of planned/unplanned transients on nuclear thermal rockets is important due to the need for long-term missions. In this work, a system model based on RELAP5 is developed to simulate loss-of-flow accidents on the Pewee I test reactor. This paper investigates the radiation heat transfer between the fuel elements and the structures around it. In addition, the impact on the core fuel element temperature and average core pressure was also investigated. The following expected results were achieved: (i) greater than normal fuel element temperatures, (ii) fuel element temperatures exceeding the uranium carbide melting point, and (iii) average core pressure less than normal. Results show that the radiation heat transfer rate between fuel elements and cold surfaces increases with decreasing flow rate through the reactor system. However, radiation heat transfer decreases when there is a complete LOFA. When there is a complete LOFA, the peripheral coolant channels of the fuel elements handle most of the radiation heat transfer. A safety system needs to be designed to counteract the decay heat resulting from a post-LOFA reactor scram.
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spelling doaj-art-ea3b0807120c4bb0ae6bf2caeea52b182025-02-03T05:44:39ZengWileyScience and Technology of Nuclear Installations1687-60751687-60832017-01-01201710.1155/2017/13459381345938Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat TransferJivan Khatry0Fatih Aydogan1Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), University of Idaho, 995 University Blvd., Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USACenter for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), University of Idaho, 995 University Blvd., Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USALong-term high payload missions necessitate the need for nuclear space propulsion. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) investigated several reactor designs from 1959 to 1973 in order to develop the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA). Study of planned/unplanned transients on nuclear thermal rockets is important due to the need for long-term missions. In this work, a system model based on RELAP5 is developed to simulate loss-of-flow accidents on the Pewee I test reactor. This paper investigates the radiation heat transfer between the fuel elements and the structures around it. In addition, the impact on the core fuel element temperature and average core pressure was also investigated. The following expected results were achieved: (i) greater than normal fuel element temperatures, (ii) fuel element temperatures exceeding the uranium carbide melting point, and (iii) average core pressure less than normal. Results show that the radiation heat transfer rate between fuel elements and cold surfaces increases with decreasing flow rate through the reactor system. However, radiation heat transfer decreases when there is a complete LOFA. When there is a complete LOFA, the peripheral coolant channels of the fuel elements handle most of the radiation heat transfer. A safety system needs to be designed to counteract the decay heat resulting from a post-LOFA reactor scram.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1345938
spellingShingle Jivan Khatry
Fatih Aydogan
Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
title Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
title_full Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
title_fullStr Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
title_full_unstemmed Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
title_short Modeling Loss-of-Flow Accidents and Their Impact on Radiation Heat Transfer
title_sort modeling loss of flow accidents and their impact on radiation heat transfer
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/1345938
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AT fatihaydogan modelinglossofflowaccidentsandtheirimpactonradiationheattransfer