Theoretical Analysis of Effective Thermal Conductivity for the Chinese HTR-PM Heat Transfer Test Facility

Cheng Ren,Haijun Jia,Wei Xiong,Yueyuan Jiang,Xingtuan Yang

doi:10.3390/app7010076

Abstract

The Chinese high temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble bed module (HTR-PM) demonstration project has attracted increasing attention. In order to support the project, a large-scale heat transfer test facility has been constructed for pebble bed effective thermal conductivity measurement over the whole temperature range (0~1600 °C). Based on different heat transfer mechanisms in the randomly packed pebble bed, three different types of effective thermal conductivity have been theoretically evaluated. A prediction of the total effective thermal conductivity of the pebble bed over the whole temperature range is provided for the optimization of the test facility and guidance of further experiments.

Highlights

Increasing attention has been paid to the high temperature helium-cooled pebble bed reactor (HTR) due to its high efficiency, high levels of passive safety, and potential usage for hydrogen production [1,2]
Values of the effective thermal conductivity of the pebble bed core of high temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble bed module (HTR-PM) at different temperatures are essential parameters required in safety analysis and thermal calculation of the reactor [5]
When a loss-of-coolant accident happens, the residual heat must be removed from the core in time, which directly depends on the effective thermal conductivity of the pebble bed [6,7,8,9]

Summary

Introduction

Increasing attention has been paid to the high temperature helium-cooled pebble bed reactor (HTR) due to its high efficiency, high levels of passive safety, and potential usage for hydrogen production [1,2]. Values of the effective thermal conductivity of the pebble bed core of HTR-PM at different temperatures are essential parameters required in safety analysis and thermal calculation of the reactor [5]. In order to support the HTR-PM project, Tsinghua University has designed and constructed a full-scale heat transfer test facility for pebble bed equivalent conductivity measurement (TF-PBEC). PBEC is to create a full‐size pebble bed to simulate the complicated thermal transfer condition in the in the real reactor of HTR-PM. This paper carries out detailed theoretical analysis on the effective thermal conductivity of the temperature range is needed. This paper carries out detailed theoretical analysis on the effective pebble bed in the HTR-PM transfer facility, which is necessary for the design and optimization thermal conductivity of theheat pebble bed test in the HTR‐PM heat transfer test facility, which is necessary of the facility further experiments.

Effective Thermal Conductivity Analysis

Solid Zehner

Solid Conduction

Conclusions

Results showinthat temperature