atw 2018-09v3

atw Vol. 63 (2018) | Issue 8/9 ı August/September
432
ABSTRACTS | ENGLISH
A Stark Warning to Trump on China, Russia
and the ‘Crisis’ Facing US Nuclear Industry
NucNet, David Dalton | Page 434
The US has the largest number of nuclear plants in
the world – 99 in commercial operation at the time
of writing – but its global leadership position is said
to be declining as efforts to build a new generation
of reactors have been plagued by problems, and
aging plants have been retired or closed in the face
of economic, market, and financial pressures. A
recent report by the Atlantic Council issued a
stark warning, arguing that the US nuclear energy
industry is facing a crisis that the Trump administration
must immediately address as a core part of
its “all of the above” energy strategy.
Akademik Lomonosov:
Preparations for Premiere in Full Swing
Roman Martinek | Page 437
At the end of July 2018, the loading of the floating
power unit Akademik Lomonosov with nuclear fuel
started in Murmansk. This is one of the key stages of
the project, which as of today has no analogues in the
world. In 2019, the power unit will begin to supply
local population and industrial facilities in North-
Eastern Siberia with heat and electricity. The project is
expected to open up opportunities for the mass production
of floating nuclear power plants – a number
of countries have already voiced their interest.
The Akademik Lomonosov is intended for providing
energy to remote industrial facilities, port cities, as
well as gas and oil platforms located on the high seas.
Nuclear Phase-out Last Act?
Are the New Compensation Regulations for
Frustrated Expenses in Accordance with the
Constitution?
Tobias Leidinger | Page 440
Shortly before it was passed, the legislature reacted
to the constitutional deficiencies which the Federal
Constitutional Court (BVerfG) objected to in its
judgment of 6 December 2016 on the nuclear
phase-out (BVerfGE 143, 246) and for which a
constitutional situation had to be established by
30 June 2018. However, the newly created compensation
regulations in the 16 th amendment to the
Atomic Energy Act raise new legal questions,
especially those relating to their constitutionality.
Westinghouse EnCore ® Accident
Tolerant Fuel
Gilda Bocock, Robert Oelrich
and Sumit Ray | Page 442
The development and implementation of accident
tolerant fuel (ATF) products, such as Westinghouse’s
EnCore® Fuel, can support the long-term
viability of nuclear energy by enhancing operational
safety and decreasing energy costs. The first introduction
of Westinghouse EnCore Fuel into a commercial
reactor is planned for 2019 as segmented
lead test rods (LTRs) utilizing chromium-coated
zirconium cladding with uranium silicide (U 3 Si 2 )
pellets. The EnCore Fuel lead test assembly (LTA)
program, with LTAs planned for 2022 insertion, will
introduce silicon carbide/silicon carbide composite
cladding with U 3 Si 2 pellets.
Analyses of Possible Explanations for the
Neutron Flux Fluctuations in German PWR
Joachim Herb, Christoph Bläsius, Yann Perin,
Jürgen Sievers and Kiril Velkov | Page 446
During the last 15 years the neutron flux fluctuation
levels in some of the German PWR changed
­significantly. During a period of about ten years, the
fluctuation levels increased, followed by about five
years with decreasing levels after taking actions like
changing the design of the fuel elements. The
­increase in the neutron flux fluctuations resulted in
an increased number of triggering the reactor
limitation system and in one case in a SCRAM.
Several models based on single physical effects are
used to simulate the neutron flux. Each of these
simple models can reproduce some of the characteristics
of the observed neutron flux fluctuations.
Detailed Measurements and Analyses of the
Neutron Flux Oscillation Phenomenology at
Kernkraftwerk Gösgen
G. Girardin, R. Meier, L. Meyer,
A. Ålander and F. Jatuff | Page 452
Recent investigations on measured neutron flux
noise at the Kernkraftwerk Gösgen-Däniken are
summarised. The NPP in operation since 1979 is a
German KWU pre-KONVOI, 3-Loop PWR with a
thermal power of 3,002 MWth (1,060 MWe). In a
period of approx. 7 cycles from 2010 to 2016, an
increase of the measured neutron noise amplitudes
in the in- and out-core neutron detectors has been
observed, although no significant variations have
being detected in global core, thermohydraulic
­circuits or instrumentation parameters. Verifications
of the instrumentation were performed and it was
confirmed that the neutron flux instabilities
increased from cycle to cycle in this period. In the last
two years, the level of neutron flux noise remains
high but seems to have achieved a saturation state.
Effects of Airborne Volatile Organic
Compounds on the Performance of Pi/TiO 2
Coated Ceramic Honeycomb Type Passive
Autocatalytic Recombiner
Chang Hyun Kim, Je Joong Sung,
Sang Jun Ha and Phil Won Seo | Page 457
Ensuring the containment integrity during a severe
accident in nuclear power reactor by maintaining the
hydrogen concentration below an acceptable level
has been recognized to be of critical importance after
Fukushima Daiichi accidents. Although there exist
various hydrogen mitigation measures, a passive
autocatalytic recombiner (PAR) has been considered
as a viable option for the mitigation of hydrogen risk
under the extended station blackout conditions
because of its passive operation char acteristics for
the hydrogen removal. As a post- Fukushima action
item, all Korean nuclear power plants were equipped
with PARs of various suppliers. The capacity and
locations of PAR as a hydrogen mitigation system
were determined through an extensive analysis for
various severe accident scenarios.
49 th Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology
(AMNT 2018): Young Scientists Workshop
Jörg Starflinger | Page 463
During the Young Scientists Workshop of the 49 th
Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology (AMNT
2018), 29 to 30 May 2018, Berlin, 13 young
­scientists presented results of their scientific
research as part of their Master or Doctorate theses
covering a broad spectrum of technical areas. Vera
Koppers, Katharina Amend and Maria Freiria were
awarded for their presentations by the jury.
Heuristic Methods in Modelling Research
Reactors for Deterministic Safety Analysis
Vera Koppers and Marco K. Koch | Page 464
A new method for rapid and reliable modelling of
research reactors for deterministic safety analysis is
presented. A rule-based software system is being
developed to support the modelling process in
ATHLET for selected research reactor types in the
light of limited available data. The fundamental
elements of the input deck are generated automatically
by few input data necessary.
Development and Validation of a
CFD Wash-Off Model for Fission Products
on Containment Walls
Katharina Amend and Markus Klein | Page 469
The research project aims to develop a CFD model
to describe the run down behavior of liquids and the
resulting wash-down of fission products on surfaces
in the reactor containment. The paper presents a
three-dimensional numerical simulation for water
running down inclined surfaces coupled with an
aerosol wash-off model and particle transport using
OpenFOAM. The wash-off model is based on Shields
criterion. A parameter variation is conducted and
the simulation results are compared to experiments.
A Preliminary Conservative Criticality
Assessment of Fukushima Unit 1 Debris Bed
María Freiría López, Michael Buck and
Jörg Starflinger | Page 473
A conservative criticality evaluation of Fukushima
Unit 1 debris bed has been carried out. In order to
obtain a multi-dimensional criticality map, parameters,
such as debris size, porosity, particle size, fuel
burnup, water density and boration were varied. As
a result, safety parameter ranges where recriticality
can be excluded have been identified. It was found
that most of the possible debris would be inherently
subcritical because of its porosity and 1600 ppm B
would ensure subcriticality under any conditions.
49 th Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology
(AMNT) Key Topic | Outstanding Know-How
& Sustainable Innovations
Christian Raetzke | Page 477
The report summarises the presentations of the
Focus Session International Regulation | Radiation
Protection: The Implementation of the EU Basic
Safety Standards Directive 2013/59 and the Release
of Radioactive Material from Regulatory Control
presented at the 49 th AMNT 2018, Berlin, 29 to 30
May 2018.
Report: GRS Workshop “Safety of Extended
Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel”
Klemens Hummelsheim, Florian Rowold
and Maik Stuke | Page 480
Conference report on the GRS Workshop “Safety of
Extended Dry Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel”, 6 to 8
June 2018.
Why do We Allow Nuclear to Take the
‘Silly Season’ Media Heat?
John Shepherd | Page 490
The time of year always means all manner of weird
and wonderful stories finding their way into the
news. For the nuclear industry, the hot spell fanned
the media flames of an old anti-nuclear favourite, as
it became clear operations at some nuclear power
plants were being halted temporarily to comply
with restrictions that prevent cooling water further
heating local rivers and waterways. It’s a question
why the nuclear community does not use the time
of year to communicate their important and
interesting topics.
Abstracts | English