Engineering topics

Klein, Steven Karl

Publications and source records attributed to Klein, Steven Karl.

7 records

DOE OSTI2016

Dynamic System Simulation of the KRUSTY Experiment

The proposed KRUSTY experiment is a demonstration of a reactor operating at power. The planned experimental configuration includes a highly enriched uranium (HEU) reflected core, cooled by multiple heat pipes leading to Stirling engines for primary heat rejection. Operating power is expected to be approximately four (4) to five (5) kilowatts with a core temperature above 1,000 K. No data is available on any historical reactor employing HEU metal that operated over the temperature range required for the KRUSTY experiment. Further, no reactor has operated with heat pipes as the primary cooling mechanism. Historic power reactors have employed either natural or forced convection so data on their operation is not directly applicable to the KRUSTY experiment. The primary purpose of the system model once developed and refined by data from these component experiments, will be used to plan the KRUSTY experiment. This planning will include expected behavior of the reactor from start-up, through various transient conditions where cooling begins to become present and effective, and finally establishment of steady-state. In addition, the model can provide indicators of anticipated off-normal events and appropriate operator response to those conditions. This information can be used to develop specific experiment operating procedures and aids to guide the operators in conduct of the experiment.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Concept for LEU Burst Reactor

Design and performance of a proposed LEU burst reactor are sketched. Salient conclusions reached are the following: size would be ~1,500 kg or greater, depending on the size of the central cavity; internal stresses during burst require split rings for relief; the reactor would likely require multiple control and safety rods for fine control; the energy spectrum would be comparable to that of HEU machines; and burst yields and steady-state power levels will be significantly greater in an LEU reactor.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Simulator for SUPO, a Benchmark Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor (AHR)

A simulator has been developed for SUPO (Super Power) an aqueous homogeneous reactor (AHR) that operated at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) from 1951 to 1974. During that period SUPO accumulated approximately 600,000 kWh of operation. It is considered the benchmark for steady-state operation of an AHR. The SUPO simulator was developed using the process that resulted in a simulator for an accelerator-driven subcritical system, which has been previously reported.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Production Facility System Reliability Analysis Report

This document describes the reliability, maintainability, and availability (RMA) modeling of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) design for the Closed Loop Helium Cooling System (CLHCS) planned for the NorthStar accelerator-based 99 Mo production facility. The current analysis incorporates a conceptual helium recovery system, beam diagnostics, and prototype control system into the reliability analysis. The results from the 1000 hr blower test are addressed.

Accelerator Design, Technology, and Operations↗

DOE OSTI2015

Temperature Profile of the Solution Vessel of an Accelerator-Driven Subcritical Fissile Solution System

Dynamic System Simulation (DSS) models of fissile solution systems have been developed and verified against a variety of historical configurations. DSS techniques have been applied specifically to subcritical accelerator-driven systems using fissile solution fuels of uranium. Initial DSS models were developed in DESIRE, a specialized simulation scripting language. In order to tailor the DSS models to specifically meet needs of system designers they were converted to a Visual Studio implementation, and one of these subsequently to National Instrument’s LabVIEW for human factors engineering and operator training. Specific operational characteristics of subcritical accelerator-driven systems have been examined using a DSS model tailored to this particular class using fissile fuel.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Simulator for an Accelerator-Driven Subcritical Fissile Solution System

LANL has developed a process to generate a progressive family of system models for a fissile solution system. This family includes a dynamic system simulation comprised of coupled nonlinear differential equations describing the time evolution of the system. Neutron kinetics, radiolytic gas generation and transport, and core thermal hydraulics are included in the DSS. Extensions to explicit operation of cooling loops and radiolytic gas handling are embedded in these systems as is a stability model. The DSS may then be converted to an implementation in Visual Studio to provide a design team the ability to rapidly estimate system performance impacts from a variety of design decisions. This provides a method to assist in optimization of the system design. Once design has been generated in some detail the C++ version of the system model may then be implemented in a LabVIEW user interface to evaluate operator controls and instrumentation and operator recognition and response to off-normal events. Taken as a set of system models the DSS, Visual Studio, and LabVIEW progression provides a comprehensive set of design support tools.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2015

Extensions to Dynamic System Simulation of Fissile Solution Systems

Previous reports have documented the results of applying dynamic system simulation (DSS) techniques to model a variety of fissile solution systems. The SUPO (Super Power) aqueous homogeneous reactor (AHR) was chosen as the benchmark for comparison of model results to experimental data for steadystate operation.1 Subsequently, DSS was applied to additional AHR to verify results obtained for SUPO and extend modeling to prompt critical excursions, ramp reactivity insertions of various magnitudes and rate, and boiling operations in SILENE and KEWB (Kinetic Experiment Water Boiler).2 Additional models for pressurized cores (HRE: Homogeneous Reactor Experiment), annular core geometries, and accelerator-driven subcritical systems (ADAHR) were developed and results reported.3 The focus of each of these models is core dynamics; neutron kinetics, thermal hydraulics, radiolytic gas generation and transport are coupled to examine the time-based evolution of these systems from start-up through transition to steady-state. A common characteristic of these models is the assumption that (a) core cooling system inlet temperature and flow and (b) plenum gas inlet pressure and flow are held constant; no external (to core) component operations that may result in dynamic change to these parameters are considered. This report discusses extension of models to include explicit reference to cooling structures and radiolytic gas handling. The accelerator-driven subcritical generic system model described in References 3 and 4 is used as a basis for this extension.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗