Thermal-Hydraulic Analyses Of The LS-VHTR

Thermal-hydraulic analyses were performed to evaluate the safety characteristics of the Liquid-Salt-Cooled Very High-Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR). A one-dimensional model of the LS-VHTR was developed using the RELAP5-3D computer program. The thermal calculations from the one-dimensional model of a fuel block were benchmarked against a multi-dimensional finite element model. The RELAP5-3D model was used to simulate a transient initiated by loss of forced convection in which the Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Cooling System (RVACS) passively removed decay heat. Parametric calculations were performed to investigate the effects of various parameters, including bypass flow fraction, coolant channel diameter, and the coolant outlet temperature. Additional parametric calculations investigated the effects of an enhanced RVACS design, failure to scram, and radial/axial conduction in the core.