Magnetohydrodynamics approach for active decay heat removal system in future generation IV reactor

Abstract

In this work, a helical-type magnetohydrodynamics transportation system for active decay-heat-removal system in a prototype fourth-generation sodium fast reactor was numerically analysed considering operational conditions of atmospheric pressure, for liquid sodium transportation in a loop. The prototype fourth-generation sodium fast reactor is a reactor with high uranium utilisation and an electric power output of 150 MWe, subjected to a developed pressure of 10 kPa and flowrate of 0.005 m3/s under a temperature condition of 468.75 K for the active decay-heat-removal system. A helical-type magnetohydrodynamics transportation system was used to develop pressure in such a loop to reduce the current compared with that in a rectangular-type one; this could overcome the principal limitation of the requirement of a high current in a magnetohydrodynamics transportation system. The main parameters of the considered helical-type magnetohydrodynamics transportation system were the inner diameter, silver brazing, number of turns, and radius of pump, which affect the current, magnetic-flux density, and its velocity. The parameters were analysed in relation to the minimisation of the pump current while maximising the pressure. The specifications of the optimised helical-type magnetohydrodynamics transportation system—current of 352 A and magnetic-flux density of 0.466 T—were derived to satisfy the conditions of the active decay-heat-removal system.