A review of heat-pipe modeling and simulation approaches in nuclear systems design and analysis

摘要

Nuclear systems are increasingly being designed to operate autonomously with passive safety systems and resilient, robust components. Heat-pipes naturally fit these requirements and are being investigate for use in advanced nuclear systems. These technologies were conceived and designed for this purpose but, recently, have become widely used and are known for use in electronic systems. The modern approach to nuclear safety involves full understanding of the physics at play. It is also important to predict the progression of the accidents from reactor steady-state to the point where either failure occurs or normal operation can be resumed. Understanding the speed of computation, the information obtained, the failures of various models are crucial to determining accurate accident progression. The history of heat-pipes in nuclear systems is reviewed as well as the modeling and simulation performed in that period. Various classes of models are reviewed analyzing their performance, capabilities, and draw backs when performing simulations. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.