Safety Analysis in Large Volume Vacuum Systems Like Tokamak: Experiments and Numerical Simulation to Analyze Vacuum Ruptures Consequences

A Malizia,C Bellecci,P Gaudio,M Gelfusa,I Lupelli,M Richetta

doi:10.1155/2014/201831

A Malizia, C Bellecci + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/201831

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Abstract

The large volume vacuum systems are used in many industrial operations and research laboratories. Accidents in these systems should have a relevant economical and safety impact. A loss of vacuum accident (LOVA) due to a failure of the main vacuum vessel can result in a fast pressurization of the vessel and consequent mobilization dispersion of hazardous internal material through the braches. It is clear that the influence of flow fields, consequence of accidents like LOVA, on dust resuspension is a key safety issue. In order to develop this analysis an experimental facility is been developed: STARDUST. This last facility has been used to improve the knowledge about LOVA to replicate a condition more similar to appropriate operative condition like to kamaks. By the experimental data the boundary conditions have been extrapolated to give the proper input for the 2D thermofluid-dynamics numerical simulations, developed by the commercial CFD numerical code. The benchmark of numerical simulation results with the experimental ones has been used to validate and tune the 2D thermofluid-dynamics numerical model that has been developed by the authors to replicate the LOVA conditions inside STARDUST. In present work, the facility, materials, numerical model, and relevant results will be presented.

Highlights

Fusion power is a promising long term candidate to supply the energy needs of humanity [1]
The elaborated data have been analysed by grouping the points in which the pressure transducers have been placed into four longitudinal lines or, otherwise, into four sections, following symmetrical criteria illustrated in the following paragraphs
The past experimental campaign has showed the validation of the 2D model to reproduce flow fields condition comparable to those obtained in STARDUST with a loss of vacuum accident (LOVA) of 300 pressure gauges (Pa)/s

Summary

Introduction

Fusion power is a promising long term candidate to supply the energy needs of humanity [1]. In particular ITER will be the first challenge to demonstrate licensable fusion safety and environmental potential of fusion and thereby provide a good precedent for the safety of future fusion power reactors. In magnetic confinement devices the plasma edge and surrounding material surfaces provide a buffer zone between the high temperature conditions in the plasma core and the normal “terrestrial” environment. The interaction between the plasma edge and the surrounding surfaces profoundly influences the conditions in the plasma core and is a key engineering issue. The plasma edge needs to provide good thermal insulation and prevent impurity influx from poisoning the burning plasma core. The approach to practical fusion reactors inevitably leads to an increase in plasma energy content, pulse duration, and cumulative run time [2].

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