Effect of graphenenano-fluid on heat pipe thermal performance for passive heat removal in nuclear spent fuel storage pool

Abstract

After Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power reactor accident, spent fuel in spent fuel storage pool (SFSP) became an important thing to pay attention to, due to its decay heat release. If station blackout occurred, the active system for SFSP cooling system will experience malfunction to remove the product of decay heat. To keep spent fuel safe, heat pipe as passive cooling system device can be used to remove spent fuel decay heat even if the active cooling system failed. Heat pipe with 6 m on length will be proposed as apassive cooling system in SFSP. For that, it is necessary to analyze the effect of Graphene nano-fluid as heat pipe working fluid. The objective of this research is to know the effect on Graphene nano-fluid to enhance the heat pipe thermal performance and to know the heat transfer phenomena inside the heat pipe based on Graphene nano-fluid. Graphene nano-fluid with 1% weight concentration was used as working fluid with filling ratio of 80%. The experimental investigation is conducted with varying the evaporator heat load of 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 W. Water as coolant flows in thecondenser with aconstant volumetric flow rate of 8 L/min. The experiment results show that there was anovershoot, zigzag and stable phenomena inside the heat pipe. The thermal resistance of heat pipe is obtained at 0.015 °C/W. The use of Graphene nano-fluid as working fluid can enhance the heat pipe thermal performance significantly and can be used as an alternative working fluid in heat pipe for thepassive cooling system in SFSP of nuclear power plant.