Session: 04-01: SMRs, Advanced Reactors and Fusion

Paper Number: 135989

135989 - Status of the Light Water Small Modular Reactors Research at Oregon State University 

Abstract: 

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the ongoing research endeavors conducted at Oregon State University in the field of Light-Water, Small, Modular Reactors (LW-SMR). Included in this paper is a thorough exposition of the integral testing activities carried out at the Multi-Application, Small, Light-Water, Reactor (MASLWR) facility, including both the methodologies employed and the outcomes obtained. The test facility has been constructed exclusively with stainless steel components and possesses the capability to operate under full system pressure (1500 psi) and full system temperature (600°F). It serves as an integral test facility, with all components designed at a 1/3 scale height and a 1/254.7 volume scale in reference to the NuScale module. The facility operates in compliance with the NQA-1 program. The ongoing testing program encompasses the examination of various aspects, including methods for natural circulation startup, helical steam generator heat transfer performance, condensation studies, and a wide range of design basis, and accident conditions. The facility has been instrumental in supporting NuScale's licensing process and the validation of TH (thermal-hydraulic) codes. This paper further expounds the present operational status of the facility and delineates upcoming plans.

Beyond the experimental capabilities, additional attention is directed towards an explication of the research capabilities intrinsic to the Nuscale Simulator control room, housed within the OSU E2 Center. Thirty-eight various models work together including, a Studsvik S3R high fidelity 3D core model, and a GSE Systems Inc. RELAP5-HD thermal-hydraulic model for the module and SimExec® for both the Balance of Plant (BOP) and Electrical Systems (ELT). NuScale’s Simulator Development Team has built a custom interface system called the NuScale Integrated Development Environment (NSIDE). NSIDE is the Human System Interface (HSI) providing controls and indications between the models and the user. NSIDE allows the user to manipulate the controls of the plant that are expected to be manipulated by the control room. This section aims to furnish a detailed understanding of the technological infrastructure and research potential of this facility.

Finally, the paper delves into an exploration of ongoing research concerning the Dynamical System Scaling (DSS) of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The DSS methodology incorporates the dynamic response into scaling methodology in contrast to the Hierarchical Two-Tiered Scaling (H2TS) and Fractional Scaling Analysis (FSA) that are derived and calculated using initial, averaged, or final system conditions. A comprehensive examination of the principles, methodologies, and objectives underpinning DSS research is presented herein.

This paper serves as a consolidated resource offering insight into the multifaceted aspects of LW-SMR research conducted at Oregon State University, encompassing integral testing, facility status, control room research capabilities, and the DSS endeavors related to SMRs.

Presenting Author: Izabela Gutowska Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Izabela Gutowska is an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering. Her expertise is in nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics, with an emphasis on the application of computational fluid dynamics to optimize fluid flow and heat transfer in nuclear reactor systems and to perform safety analysis. Her research interests scope experimental and computational thermal-hydraulics aspects involving Generation IV and small modular reactors. She also performs computational fluid dynamics verification, validation, and uncertainty analyses. Before joining Oregon State, Gutowska was an advanced computational fluid dynamics engineer at General Electric’s Engineering Design Center and a research assistant at Warsaw University of Technology.

Authors:

Izabela Gutowska Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Trevor Kent Howard Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Qiao Wu Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Brian G. Woods Oregon State University School of Nuclear Science and Engineering