Demonstration of RELAP5-3D for transient analysis of a dual coolant lead lithium fusion blanket concept

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design 2022-07, Vol.180, p.113192, Article 113192
• Main Authors: Meehan, Nicholas, Maldonado, G. Ivan, Brown, Nicholas R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Coolants; DCLL; Fluid flow; Free convection; Heating; Liquid metals; Lithium; Magnetohydrodynamics; Multiphysics; Nuclear fusion; Numerical simulations; Pressure drop; Pressure effects; Pressurized water reactors; Reduced order models; System analysis; Thermal hydraulics; Three dimensional models; Transient analysis
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2022.113192

Our research aims to build a multiphysics framework for transient analysis of the Dual-Coolant Lead-Lithium (DCLL) blanket design of the proposed Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) for all Anticipated Operational Occurrences (AOOs) using Reduced Order Models (ROMs). This paper presents an assessment of using RELAP5-3D for transient thermal-hydraulic blanket analysis of the DCLL design. Preliminary validation studies for the RELAP5-3D properties were conducted using a representative vertical flow loop model and a comparison study using experimental data from thermal convection corrosion loops at ORNL. These studies inspected the thermal hydraulic response of Lead-Lithium Eutectic (PbLi) systems within the RELAP5-3D code; mainly pressure drop and heat transfer, as compared to analytical calculations and experimental data. The Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop effect for liquid metal under the effects of a uniform magnetic field was implemented into our models using an equivalent forms loss coefficient based on the phasic momentum equations. We verified our implementation of MHD pressure drop within RELAP5-3D using a systematic approach consisting of two studies. Models were developed to perform comparison studies using experimental data from the Argonne Liquid metal EXperiment (ALEX) facility and the Magnetohydrodynamic PbLi Experiment (MaPLE) facility. Using the developed validation basis, we built a simplified DCLL channel model within RELAP5-3D, inspected MHD pressure drop and performed transient temperature analysis. The DCLL channel model used radial heating data from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) which was normalized to the FNSF design. A representative startup transient was performed using a relative power curve based on current PWR power ramp limits. This study demonstrated that RELAP5-3D ROMs are capable of accurate transient analysis of the DCLL blanket. We have since utilized MCNP to develop heating profiles based on the FNSF design and are working toward implementing them into our DCLL model.