Study on control method of natural circulation by injection of helium gas

This study is to investigate a control method of natural circulation of air by injection of helium gas. A depressurization accident is one of the design-basis accidents of a very high temperature reactor (VHTR). When the primary pipe rupture accident occurs in the VHTR, air is expected to enter into the reactor pressure vessel from the breach and oxidize in-core graphite structures. Finally, it seems to be probable that the natural circulation flow of air in the reactor pressure vessel produce continuously. In order to predict or analyze the air ingress phenomena during the depressurization accident of the VHTR, therefore, it is important to develop the method for prevention of air ingress during the accident. The experiment has been carried out regarding natural circulation using a circular tube consisting of a reverse U-shaped type. The vertical channel consists of the one side heated tube and the other side cooled tube. The experimental procedure is as follows. Firstly, the apparatus is filled with air and one vertical tube is heated. Then, natural circulation of air will be produced in the channel. After the steady state is established, a very small amount of helium gas injects from the top of the channel. The velocity, temperature of gas, and temperature of the tube wall are measured during the experiment. The analysis also has been carried out regarding natural circulation. The results were obtained as follows. The temperature difference between the vertical pipes was 50–130 K, and a small amount of helium gas injected to the channel. The volume of injected helium gas is about 3.5–10% of the total volume of the channel. When the temperature difference between the vertical tubes was kept at 52 K, the velocity of natural circulation flow became about 0.12 m/s. During a steady state, a small amount of helium gas injected into the channel. Then, the flow velocity of natural circulation suddenly decreased. The volume of injected helium gas is about 3% of the total volume of the channel. The velocity became around zero. After 1500 s elapsed, the natural circulation suddenly produced again. The experimental and analytical results show that the natural circulation flow of air can be controlled by injecting of helium gas.