Introduction to Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors

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Author(s): G Vaidyanathan

Product Code: vni-06

This book provides an in-depth exploration of Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) in the Indian context, offering both foundational knowledge and practical insights essential for students, researchers, and professionals working in the nuclear energy domain. The book is a concise yet comprehensive introduction to all aspects of fast reactor engineering. Structured across eighteen meticulously curated chapters, it delves into neutronics, core design principles, thermal hydraulics of the reactor core, and key components such as pumps, heat exchangers, materials, plant control and protection systems, fuel handling, event and accident analysis. Operational experience and lessons learned for future designs are concisely brought out.

CONTENTS
Foreword
Director Message
Preface
Acknowledgement
Abbreviations
List of Tables
List of Figures
Chapter 1: Introduction to Fast Reactors
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Rationale for Fast Breeder Reactors
1.3 Breeding of Fuel
1.4 Role of Fast Reactor in Energy Generation
1.5 FBR as Waste Incinerator
1.6 Sodium Cooled Fast Reactors (SFR)
1.7 Historical Development - Overview
1.8 Contents of the Book
References
Chapter 2: Core Neutronics
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Basics of Breeding
2.3 Uranium Utilization and Waste Minimisation
2.4 Doubling Time
2.5 Reactivity
2.6 Reactor Kinetics
2.7 Reactivity Feedback
2.7.1 Doppler Effect
2.7.2 Sodium Density and Void Effects
2.7.3 Fuel Axial Expansion Effect
2.7.4 Structural Expansion
2.7.5 Bowing
2.7.6 Core Compaction
2.8 Decay Heat
2.9 Neutronic Characteristics of SFRs
References
Chapter 3: Core Design Considerations
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Major Design Objectives
3.3 Core and Blanket Arrangements
3.3.1 Fuel Arrangement
3.3.2 Fuel Duct
3.3.3 Fuel Assembly
3.4 Selection of Core Materials and Parameters
3.4.1 Choice of Fuel
3.5 Fuel Fissile Fraction
3.6 Fuel Pin Diameter
3.7 Fuel Burnup
3.8 Absorber Materials
3.9 Reflector Materials
3.10 Shield Materials
3.11 Requirements of Coolant
3.11.1 Sodium
3.11.2 Helium
3.11.3 Lead/Lead Bismuth
3.12 Requirements for Core Structural Material
3.13 Major Steps in Core Design
References
Chapter 4: Fuel Thermal Design
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Principal Fuel and Clad Materials
4.3 Heat Conduction in Fuel Elements
4.4 Thermal Properties – Oxide Fuel
4.4.1 Thermal Conductivity
4.4.2 Fission Gas Release
4.4.3 Melting Point
4.4.4 Specific Heat
4.5 Metal Fuel Properties
4.6 Carbide Fuel Properties
4.7 Nitride Fuel Properties
4.8 Temperature Distribution in Plate Type Fuel Elements
4.9 Temperature Distribution in Cylindrical Fuel Pins
4.10 Restructured Oxide Fuel Temperature Distribution
4.11 Pellet-Clad Gap Conductance
4.12 Overall Resistance
References
Chapter 5: Core Thermal Hydraulic Design
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Flow Zoning
5.3 Hydraulic Design
5.3.1 Pressure Drop in Subassembly
5.3.2 Hydraulic Lifting Force
5.4 Core Heat Transfer
5.5 Hotspot Analysis
5.5.1 Direct Sub-factors
5.5.2 Statistical Sub-factors
5.5.3 Deterministic Method
5.5.4 Statistical Method
5.5.5 Semi-statistical Method
5.6 Application of Hotspot Factors
5.7 Thermal Hydraulics Calculations
References
Chapter 6: Reactor Assembly and Primary Sodium Heat Transport System
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Pool vs Loop Systems
6.2.1 Pool Concept
6.2.2 Loop Concept
6.3 Reactor Assembly
6.3.1 Loop Type Reactor Assembly
6.3.2 Pool Type Reactor Assembly
6.3.3 Reactor Assembly Support
6.4 Main Vessel
6.5 Inner Vessel
6.6 Grid Plate
6.7 Core Support Structure (CSS)
6.8 Control Plug
6.9 Top Shield
6.9.1 Liquid Metal Seals
6.9.2 Inflatable Seals
6.9.3 Seal Provision
6.10 Safety Vessel
6.11 Sodium Pump
6.12 Intermediate Heat Exchanger
References
Chapter 7: Secondary Sodium System
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Steam Generator Design
7.3 Sodium vs Live Steam Reheat
7.4 Drum Type vs Once Through SG
7.5 SG Weld Integrity
7.6 Straight Tube Design SG
7.7 Helical Tube Design
7.8 Other SG Designs
7.9 SG with/without Cover Gas
7.10 SG Material
7.11 Number of SG Modules
7.12 Rupture Disc
7.13 Flow Instability in SG
7.14 Surge Tank
7.15 Secondary Sodium Pump
References
Chapter 8: Structural Materials for Primary Sodium Components
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Irradiation Effects
8.2.1 DPA
8.2.2 Swelling
8.2.3 Void Swelling
8.2.4 Creep
8.2.5 Radiation Hardening
8.2.6 Embrittlement
8.3 Core Structural Material
8.4 Austenitic Stainless Steel Behaviour
8.5 Engineering Consequences
8.6 Ferritic Steels
8.7 ODS Materials
8.8 Sodium Effects
8.8.1 Corrosion & Mass Transfer
8.8.2 Material Property Changes
8.9 Materials for Piping & Heat Exchangers
References
Chapter 9: Shutdown Systems
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Reliability
9.3 Shutdown System
9.3.1 Control & Safety Rod Drive System
9.3.2 Diverse Safety Rod Drive Mechanism
9.3.3 Testing
9.3.4 Shutdown Logic
9.4 Passive Design Features
References
Chapter 10: Fuel Handling
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Functions
10.3 Classification
10.4 Online vs Offline Refuelling
10.5 Fuel Handling Sequence
10.5.1 Fresh Subassembly Handling
10.5.2 Spent Subassembly Handling
10.6 In-vessel Handling
10.6.1 Handling Diameter
10.6.2 Scheme
10.7 Ex-vessel Handling
10.7.1 Schemes
10.8 Storage Before Reprocessing
10.9 Design Choices
10.9.1 Refuelling Interval
10.9.2 Sodium Temperature
10.9.3 Cover Gas Pressure
10.9.4 Decay Heat Reduction
10.10 Safety Requirements
10.11 Design Requirements
References
Chapter 11: Decay Heat Removal Systems
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Decay Heat Removal Modes
11.2.1 Component Elevation Estimates
11.3 Primary Sodium DHR
11.4 Secondary Sodium DHR
11.5 SG Auxiliary Cooling System
11.6 Steam-Water DHR
11.7 Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System
11.8 Inter-wrapper Flow Effects
11.9 DRACS Damper Delay Effects
11.10 Number of DRACS Circuits
References
Chapter 12: Auxiliary Systems
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Inert Gas Systems
12.2.1 Argon Cover Gas
12.2.2 Nitrogen System
12.3 Sodium Purification
12.3.1 Cold Trap
12.4 Electromagnetic Pumps
12.5 Trace Heating
12.6 Preheating Components
12.7 Sodium Cleaning
12.7.1 WVN Process
12.7.2 Alcohol Process
12.7.3 Vacuum Distillation
12.8 Sodium Reaction Product Disposal
12.9 Valves
12.9.1 Non-return Valves
12.9.2 Frozen Seal Valves
12.9.3 Bellows Sealed Valves
References
------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 13: SFR Thermo-mechanical Phenomena
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Sodium Circuit Design
13.3 Thermal Stratification
13.3.1 Mitigation
13.4 Thermal Striping
13.5 Fluid–Structure Interaction
13.6 Argon Entrainment
13.6.1 Mitigation
13.7 Free Level Fluctuation
13.8 Cellular Convection
13.9 Thin Shell Buckling
13.10 Failure Modes
References
Chapter 14: Instrumentation for SFR
14.1 Introduction
14.2 I&C Functions
14.3 Design Features
14.4 Nuclear Instruments
14.4.1 Neutron Flux Monitoring
14.4.2 Failed Fuel Detection
14.4.3 Radiation Monitoring
14.5 Sodium Instruments
14.5.1 Temperature
14.5.2 Leak Detection
14.5.3 Level Probes
14.6 Flow Measurement
14.6.1 PM Flowmeters
14.6.2 Eddy Current Flowmeters
14.7 Under Sodium Viewing
14.8 Hydrogen Detection
14.8.1 Sodium Hydrogen Detection
14.8.2 Cover Gas TCD
14.8.3 Oxide Sensors
14.9 Plugging Indicator
14.10 Carbon Measurement
14.11 In-service Inspection
14.11.1 Vessel ISI
14.11.2 SG ISI
References
Chapter 15: Event Classification and Analysis
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Safety Assessment
15.2.1 Deterministic Safety Analysis
15.2.2 Probabilistic Safety Analysis
15.2.3 Hazards Analysis
15.3 Defence in Depth
15.4 Plant States
15.4.1 Normal Operation
15.4.2 AOO
15.4.3 DBA
15.4.4 DEC
15.4.5 Residual Risk
15.5 Accident Categories
15.6 Dynamic Simulation
15.7 Plant Protection System
15.7.1 SCRAM Parameters
15.7.2 Safety Settings
15.7.3 Computer Role
15.8 Event Analysis
15.8.1 Sympathetic Safety Action
References
Chapter 16: Unprotected Transients and Accident Analysis
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Severe Accident History
16.3 Unprotected Transients
16.3.1 Reactivity Coefficients
16.4 UTOP
16.5 ULOF
16.6 ULOHS
16.7 Severe Accident Characteristics
16.8 Accident Phases
16.8.1 Predisassembly
16.8.2 Transition
16.8.3 Disassembly
16.9 CDA Thermal Consequences
16.10 Mechanical Energy Release
16.10.1 Effects
16.11 Post-accident Scenarios
16.11.1 Fuel Relocation
16.11.2 MFCI
16.11.3 Core Catcher
16.12 Radiological Consequences
16.13 Computer Codes
16.13.1 Severe Accident Analysis
16.13.2 Mechanical Codes
16.14 Containment
16.14.1 Single
16.14.2 Double
16.14.3 Confinement
16.15 Sodium Fires
16.15.1 Pool Fires
16.15.2 Spray Fires
16.15.3 Sodium-Concrete Reaction
16.15.4 Design Measures
Dr. G. VAIDYANATHAN, BE, MBA, Ph.D., served in the Department of Atomic Energy, India, for 38 years, retiring in 2010 as Director of the Fast Reactor Technology Group at IGCAR, Kalpakkam. A specialist in thermal hydraulics and safety analysis, he played a pivotal role in India’s Fast Reactor Programme. Post-retirement, he has been actively teaching nuclear energy and alternative systems at several Indian universities. He has authored four books on nuclear energy and created a 30-lecture video module for NPTEL. Dr. Vaidyanathan is a lifetime fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India) and a life member of the Indian Nuclear Society. He has published 40 journal papers and continues to contribute to nuclear safety as a committee member.

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