Studying Dynamical and Hydraulic Characteristics of the Hydraulically Suspended Passive Shutdown Subassembly (HS-PSS) and Validating with a Prototypic Test Sample

Abstract

The pool-type demonstrative China Fast Reactor 600 (CFR-600) adopted a series of improved safety designs, among which the hydraulic suspended passive shutdown subassembly (HS-PSS) is employed for inherent safety enhancement, especially suitable against unprotected loss of flow accident (ULOF). In this article, functional requirements for HS-PSS design in hydro-dynamic aspects are proposed, with the corresponding performance indicators discussed. To address these functional requirements, qualitative analysis on the equilibrium solution properties of the nonlinear dynamical model equation of the hydraulic moving body (HMB) in the HS-PSS are conducted, which leads to the determination of an applicable design parameter domain of the HMB for its practical design from the broad range of structural and parametric design options available for HS-PSS. Furtherly, hydraulically characterizing and modeling the constituent paths and consequent fluid network, hydraulic characteristics of the HS-PSS, as well as the coupled hydro-dynamic motion behaviors of the HMB for suspension and dropping states, were simulated and test-validated. Considering the HS-PSS hydro-dynamic behaviors, key indicators such as critical flowrate, drop time, hydraulic self-tightening performance, as well as the hydraulic characteristics curve are for fulfilling the functional requirements. Meanwhile, through sensitivity study of some structural parameters‘ impact on hydraulic characteristics, some most sensible structural parameters for adjusting and optimizing detailed design are observed. The work is quite significant in supporting the conceptual design of the HS-PSS as well as its engineering improvement.