Preliminary study of inert gas flow analysis on thermal systems with natural convection conditions

Abstract

Coolant circulation in a thermal system can pass through two circulation pathways, namely natural circulation and forced circulation. Both types of circulation each have advantages and disadvantages. Forced circulation requires special equipment to be able to supply pressure at the beginning of the coolant circulation. If this special equipment fails to function, it can lead to failure of the cooling process and can be fatal to the system that is run. As with natural circulation, this circulation does not require special equipment to drain the coolant. Coolant flow naturally by utilizing different densities of coolant. For systems that work where the axial flow is in the vertical direction, there is an influence of the coolant gravity which affects the coolant flow. This study aims is to analyze how the inert gas flow patterns that occur in a thermal system that applies natural circulation, in this study the focus of the study is on the coolant with the gas phase. This research is a type of experimental research. The analysis was conducted using descriptive and numerical analysis methods. The results of the analysis have been obtained, then applied to a thermal system that applies natural convection to the gas flow. The results of the analysis and application of this study are expected to provide meaningful input for the development of coolants in thermal systems and specifically in cooling systems for gas-cooled reactors. The results of preliminary studies that have been carried out have obtained basic benchmarks that can be used as guidelines for analyzing the physical conditions of the inert gas flow in the heat system by setting some standard conditions found in thermal systems that are generally used today.