Modeling the interaction of a molten seal and solid particles using DEM and SPH simulations: Application for a passive new scram system for LMR

S. Vanmaercke, G. Van Den Eynde, Engelbert Tijskens, Y. Bartosiewicz

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    A new shutdown system that does not rely on absorber rods, is being developed at SCK.CEN and UCL for application in Liquid Metal Reactors (LMR). The system consists of tubes filled with absorber particles. During normal operation, these particles are kept above the active core by means of a metallic melt seal. In case of an accident, the system is activated by the temperature increase in the coolant. This leads to melting of the metal seal, releasing the absorber particles into the core. The resulting flow of the particles has been studied both experimentally, and with Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. This paper focuses on the second important aspect of the safety system, being the melting and flowing of the metallic seal in interaction with the solid absorber particles moving through the molten seal.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)341-350
    Number of pages10
    JournalJournal of Computational Multiphase Flows
    Volume4
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Sep 2012

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Engineering
    • General Physics and Astronomy

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