Mr. Joel Brandon
Mechanical and Nuclear Systems Engineer
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

Abstract

Gen IV nuclear technology uses safety features non-existent in previous plants. One of these is passive reactor cooling systems. Two object-oriented system models have been made to represent one of these passive reactor cooling systems. MATLAB has been used extensively to develop the thermal hydraulics and fluid flow model of both the Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System (RVACS – PRISM/VTR) and Reactor Air Cooling (RAC – Natrium) system. 1-D fluid flow and 2-D heat transfer are used to predict reactor sodium temperature, vessel and structure temperature, and cooling capability of a natural circulation reactor air cooling system. The model uses a steady state solver and provides a transient solver for plant shutdown cases. Results from this model are forwarded for calculations regarding vessel creep, thermal expansion, fuel damage, reactor building design, a steady state model has been developed in Dymola for the RAC system. Results comparisons between the 2 modeling methods show good agreement (6%) on heat removal capabilities while showing less agreement (16.5%) of massflow rates of the RAC air flow. Future work will have Independent verification through Dymola for steady state and transient calculations that were performed using the MATLAB set of functions. This work will require a more thorough Dymola model, at least containing vessel components that would contribute to the thermal inertia of the system.

Biography

Joel is a Mechanical and Nuclear Systems engineer with GE. He completed his mechanical engineering undergrad at NC A&T SU and his Master’s in Nuclear Engineering at NCSU in 2020. During graduate school studying plasma, he decided to pursue his love for fluid and thermodynamics and clean energy production that drove him to graduate school initially. Joel has been doing thermal hydraulic modeling and analysis on passive heat removal systems for the Natrium reactor as well as providing system design for the intermediate heat transfer loop and primary sodium processing systems for ARC Canada.

Thursday, September 15. 2022
4:00 pm seminar

Hybrid Option  (Speaker is in person)

zoom (link upon request)
or
Room 1202 Burlington Labs