Coupling of molten salt and supercritical CO2 circuits: Design and preliminary operational experience

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F26722445%3A_____%2F25%3AN0000031" target="_blank" >RIV/26722445:_____/25:N0000031 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://duepublico2.uni-due.de/receive/duepublico_mods_00083290" target="_blank" >https://duepublico2.uni-due.de/receive/duepublico_mods_00083290</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.17185/duepublico/83290" target="_blank" >10.17185/duepublico/83290</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Coupling of molten salt and supercritical CO2 circuits: Design and preliminary operational experience

Original language description

Compared to conventional technology, power cycles working with supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as working fluid promises more effective energy conversion, very low dimension, and high flexibility, especially at high temperatures. These abilities are very suitable for the use within advanced small modular reactors (SMR). A concept of SMR based on fluoride salt (FLiBe) coolant and sCO2-based conversion cycle, called “Energy Well” is being developed by Centrum výzkumu Řež, (CVR). Within the research and development of Energy Well nuclear reactor and long-term activities of CVR in the field of sCO2 technologies, a loop-type experimental facility working with FLiBe was developed, assembled, and operated. The facility was coupled with another unique infrastructure – sCO2 loop, to support development of potential interface between nuclear coolant (FLiBe) and an innovative conversion cycle fluid (sCO2). Also, this facility is intended for testing of key components and operational procedures important for application of similar technologies in larger scales. The key components of the FLiBe loop are the main circulation pump, heat exchanger FLiBe / sCO2 and electrical heater representing core of a molten salt reactor. All components were developed and assembled at CVR. Some aspects of the design of these components were validated through CFD tools. Description of the first operational experience along with experimental data are provided in this paper. The resulting outlet temperatures, heat flux and FLiBe mass flow rate were compared with experimental measurements and the overall heat transfer coefficient was estimated. As part of the experimental campaign, the circulation pump for FLiBe was first tested separately. After this successful test, the experimental FLiBe circuit was connected to the existing sCO2 loop, which is operated in the CVR, via the heat exchanger. During the experimental campaign, data were obtained from the operation of both coupled devices, including the commissioning procedure of the FLiBe circuit and the method of controlling the two devices simultaneously. Experimental data were processed and evaluated. Unfortunately, large uncertainties were found in FLiBe temperature measurements and thus the resulting mass flow rates.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

D - Article in proceedings

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

20305 - Nuclear related engineering; (nuclear physics to be 1.3);

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Article name in the collection

6 th Edition of the European Conference on Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) for Energy Systems April 9–11, 2025, Delft, Netherlands

ISBN

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ISSN

2510-7852

e-ISSN

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Number of pages

10

Pages from-to

1-10

Publisher name

Universität Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsbibliothek, DuEPublico

Place of publication

Essen, Germany

Event location

Delft, The Netherlands

Event date

Apr 9, 2025

Type of event by nationality

WRD - Celosvětová akce

UT code for WoS article

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