Thermal Hydraulics for Boiling and Passive Systems

Lead Research Organisation: Imperial College London
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

New nuclear power stations are likely to be a major contributor to energy security and reduction of carbon emissions. Such reactors will almost certainly be water-cooled. Whilst water is a very good coolant, steam is not, and the water coolant can become steam under certain conditions. The three themes of this project are each aimed at developing a better understanding of when this transition occurs, and developing better techniques to predict this. This project is an international collaboration, between scientists at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in India, and groups at three UK universities. The better techniques will be based on experimental measurements of boiling systems to be conducted at BARC, in conjunction with the UK participants, and the development of computational models based on these.

Planned Impact

The main impact of the work will be in the provision of better models of the boiling, 'critical heat flux' phenomena and heat transfer to fluids at supercritical pressure. These will be important because they will allow designs to be proposed with greater confidence, and to have less conservative margins applied, improving both the safety and economics of the plant. This impact will be achieved by making sure the work is widely disseminated, via journal papers and conference presentation, but also by the extensive direct research-based interactions between the investigators and the nuclear industry.
 
Description The work has contributed to the ability to understand and predict natural circulation and critical heat flux in nuclear reactors.
Exploitation Route Further phenomenological methods development could be undertaken, to widen the scope of applicability.
Further validation, to provide confidence for nuclear application, is needed.
Sectors Energy
 
Description EPSRC Indo-UK Civil Nuclear (Grace Time)
Amount £681,131 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2016 
End 02/2020
 
Description EPSRC Indo-UK Civil Nuclear (Network)
Amount £204,533 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/M018296/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2015 
End 10/2018
 
Description Indo-UK Civil Nuclear III (OICHF)
Amount £112,729 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/M018261/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2016 
End 01/2018
 
Description Collaboration with Indian DAE BARC 
Organisation Bhabbha Atomic Research Centre
Country India 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We are collaborating in a series of projects under the Indo-UK Civil Nuclear Programme
Collaborator Contribution We and BARC work together on developing measurements associated with various aspects of nuclear thermal hydraulics, and in the development and validation of models of these phenomena
Impact Multiple publications, multiple visits to BARC, multiple hostings of Indian scientists in the UK
Start Year 2015
 
Description Invited Lecture on the boiling, DNB, and its prediction, at BARC, Mumbai, February 2020 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An invited lecture on boiling, DNB, and its prediction, to scientists from the Indian DAE laboratory BARC, and the associated HBNI University Institute
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Invited lecture to Westinghouse (Sweden) Meeting og BWR fuel users 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact I was invited to give a lecture on BWR fuel Critical Heat Flux prediction methods
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017