Approaches to experimental validation of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor components

Abstract

The special feature of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) is stressed operating conditions for equipment due to high temperature of the primary circuit helium, up to 950°C, as well as acoustic and hydrodynamic loads upon the gas path elements. Therefore, great significance is given to reproduction of real operation conditions in tests. Experimental investigation of full-size nuclear power plant (NPP) primary circuit components is not practically feasible because costly test facilities will have to be developed for the power of up to hundreds of megawatts. Under such conditions, the only possible process to validate designs under development is representative tests of smaller scale models and fragmentary models. At the same time, in order to take in to validated account the effect of various physical factors, it is necessary to ensure reproduction of both individual processes and integrated tests incorporating needed integrated investigations. Presented are approaches to experimental validation of thermohydraulic and vibroacoustic characteristics for main equipment components and primary circuit path elements under standard loading conditions, which take account of their operation in the HTGR. Within the framework of the of modular helium reactor project, including a turbo machine in the primary circuit, a new and difficult problem is creation of multiple-bearing flexible vertical rotor. Presented are approaches to analytical and experimental validation of the rotor electromagnetic bearings, catcher bearings, flexible rotor electromagnetic bearings system operability.