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Dynamic Modeling of a HeXe-Cooled Mobile Nuclear Reactor with Closed Brayton Cycle

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  • Jiaolong Deng

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
    Shanghai Digital Nuclear Reactor Technology Integration Innovation Center, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Chaoran Guan

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
    Shanghai Digital Nuclear Reactor Technology Integration Innovation Center, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Xiaojing Liu

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
    Shanghai Digital Nuclear Reactor Technology Integration Innovation Center, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Xiang Chai

    (School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
    Shanghai Digital Nuclear Reactor Technology Integration Innovation Center, Shanghai 200240, China)

Abstract

Helium-xenon (HeXe)-cooled mobile nuclear reactors have promising potential in future low-carbon energy systems. However, there is currently a lack of fast and reliable tools for analyzing the complicated dynamic characteristics of such systems. In this study, we developed a comprehensive dynamic modeling approach for a HeXe-cooled nuclear power system coupled with a closed Brayton cycle (CBC). The system’s key components, including the reactor, printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE), and turbomachinery, are lumped-modeled to capture their time-varying behavior. A step-solving algorithm that incorporates HeXe mass conservation iteration is designed. The verification results demonstrate that the dynamic program is robust and reliable, with each time step converging within 25 iterations and the HeXe mass remaining within the range of 3.755 ± 0.01 kg throughout the simulation meeting the law of mass conservation. Then, a 1500 s frozen start-up simulation for the coupled system is conducted, in which the CBC is started in the first 500 s by increasing the main shaft speed to 40% of the rated value, and then the reactor is started by inserting external reactivity between 500 and 800 s. Both the dynamic process and the steady-state performance after the start-up are analyzed. The results show that the system achieved a stable electrical output of 5.7 MWe with a thermal efficiency of 32.5%. This study lays a solid foundation for future work aimed at improving the overall efficiency and performance of HeXe-cooled nuclear power systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiaolong Deng & Chaoran Guan & Xiaojing Liu & Xiang Chai, 2024. "Dynamic Modeling of a HeXe-Cooled Mobile Nuclear Reactor with Closed Brayton Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:21:p:5396-:d:1509738
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Olumayegun, Olumide & Wang, Meihong & Kelsall, Greg, 2017. "Thermodynamic analysis and preliminary design of closed Brayton cycle using nitrogen as working fluid and coupled to small modular Sodium-cooled fast reactor (SM-SFR)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 436-453.
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