Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

"After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in 2011, significant attention was directed to investigate natural circulation thermal-hydraulics in Prismatic Modular Reactors (PMRs). Natural circulation is employed as a passive safety feature that passively removes the decay heat released after the loss of flow accidents (LOFA). Several computational studies have addressed such phenomena, however, validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is needed by providing high-quality data obtained from separate test facilities designed with reference to the corresponding reference PMRs. To address this need, a separate effects Plenum-to-Plenum Facility (P2PF) was designed and developed with dual channels and plena for experimental investigations of naturally driven gas thermal and velocity fields under different circulation intensities. Thermal and velocity measurements have been characterized by implementation of advanced sophisticated measurement techniques such as: (1) the hot wire anemometry (HWA), (2) flush-mounted micro-foil sensors, and (3) thermocouples that are capable of providing local measurements at different axial and radials positions along both channels. These measurement techniques have been integrated in a novel way so that the thermocouple readings are not disturbed by the HWA sensor, and vice versa. This proposed work has a significant impact on advancing the knowledge and understanding of the plenum-to-plenum (P2P) natural circulation thermal-hydraulic phenomenon and provides high-quality benchmark data that are much needed for verification and validation (V&V) of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models and codes. Therefore, computational simulations can be reliably used in designing PMRs passive safety systems and in safety analysis and assessment"--Abstract, page iv.

Advisor(s)

Al-Dahhan, Muthanna H.

Committee Member(s)

Usman, Shoaib
Wang, Jee C.
Rezaei, Fateme
Schlegel, Joshua P.

Department(s)

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering

Sponsor(s)

United States. Department of Energy

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2017

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

  • Design and development of an experimental test facility with a representative geometry of prismatic modular reactor core
  • Investigation of natural circulation in a separate effects facility of two channels representing prismatic modular reactor core
  • Buoyancy-driven gas flow within plenum-to-plenum facility down-comer channel
  • Natural convection inside heated channel of a facility representing modular reactor core

Pagination

xix, 207 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references.

Rights

© 2017 Mahmoud Mohamed Taha Moharam, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11232

Electronic OCLC #

1021857598

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