Thermal-Hydraulics measurement and sensing techniques for Nuclear Applications

新一代的核反应堆，小型和先进的模块化反应堆(SMR/AMR)，有望为推动英国未来无碳能源生产的很大一部分提供灵活且具有成本效益的选择。新的仪器和数据采集将在新的核建设中至关重要，而且在检查SMR/AMR定制运行制度和依赖自然对流、蒸汽产生和凝结过程的热工水力(T/H)运行模式所需的系统中也是如此，在部署之前需要很好地了解和验证这些模式。博士项目将开发用于实验和辅助工艺测量的仪器，应用于正在为雷神建造或规划的水路，以及潜在的汽车应用领域的相邻项目。将在设计模拟和验证实验中探索合适的T/H测量技术，以证明其在不同测量场景中的适用性。由于每种技术都有其各自的优点和缺点，因此需要探索几种不同的传感技术。作为主要的参考测量技术，该项目将开发用于T/H应用的高分辨率多线传感实验工具，以及时表征通过平面的流动。它们适用于产生流过实验中心平面的流动的详细图像，或测试截面的入口和出口流动的详细图像，例如，准确地确定空泡率和详细的气泡结构。将有能力探索新的、仍未研究的流动几何图形，因为传感器可以在内部为定制几何图形构建，这可以涵盖从经典的燃料类几何图形到用于整体测试的定制SMR安全验证相关钻机的应用。导线传感器的局限性与导线的必要物理存在引起的流动和气泡变形有关。该项目将应用的一种失真较小的传感器类型是光纤针探头传感器。将通过将传统的有线和光纤传感器技术用于组合测量方法的配置来探索新的途径。另一个将被瞄准的新应用领域是设计和使用基于光纤的新型导线传感器来表征流量。NFI计划开发粒子成像测速仪和X射线照相测量配置，以便在各种实验中部署，所阐述的技术将作为补充。拟议的博士研究项目是开发新的和增强的T/H测量技术的综合努力的一部分，该技术应用于NFI或英国和国际上的合作者开发的T/H设施，以支持新的反应堆概念。

The emerging generation of nuclear reactors, small and advanced modular reactors (SMR/AMR), promise a flexible and cost-efficient option for propelling a significant portion of future carbon-free energy production in the UK. New instrumentation and data capture will be essential in new nuclear builds but also in the systems required to examine SMR/AMR bespoke operating regimes and Thermal-Hydraulics (T/H) operational modes relying on natural convection, steam generation and condensation processes, which need to be well understood and validated before deployment. The PhD project will develop instrumentation for experiments and supporting process measurement to be applied in the water loops being built or planned for THOR, as well as potentially in adjoining projects in the field of automotive applications. Suitable T/H measurement techniques will be explored in design simulations and validation experiments that will demonstrate their applicability in different measurement scenarios. Since each technique comes with its own benefits and drawbacks, a few different sensing techniques need to be explored. As a primary reference measurement technique, the project will develop high-resolution multi-wire sensing experimental tools for T/H applications to characterise flow through a plane in time. These are suitable for producing a detailed image of flow through the central plane of an experiment, or the inlet and outlet flow of the test section, e.g. to accurately determine void fractions and detailed bubble structures. Capability to explore new, still unresearched flow geometries will result, since the sensors can be constructed in-house for bespoke geometries, which can cover applications ranging from classic fuel-like geometries to bespoke SMR safety validation related rigs for integral testing. The limitation with wire sensors relates to the flow and bubble distortion caused by the necessary physical presence of wires. A less distortive sensor type that the project will apply are optical fibre needle probe sensors. Novel avenues will be probed through configurations where traditional wire and fibre sensor techniques will be used for a combined measurement approach. Yet another new application area that will be targeted is the design and use of novel optical fibre based wire sensors for flow characterisation. NFI plans to develop Particle Imaging Velocimetry and X-ray radiography measurement configurations for deployment in various experiments, to which the techniques elaborated will be complementary. The proposed PhD research project is part of a comprehensive effort to develop new and enhanced T/H measurement techniques for application in T/H facilities developed by NFI or collaborators in the UK and internationally to support novel reactor concepts.