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Validation and verification of SIMMER code model for Lead-lithium water and non-condensable gases chemical interaction

Project description

Experimental fusion data will support fusion reactor modelling

Existing nuclear power plants rely on fission, the decay of heavy atoms like uranium. Nuclear fusion, the process by which two or more nuclei are combined, powers the Sun and other stars. Fusion reactions could generate tremendous amounts of clean power, yet the challenges abound. The European DEMO reactor could be one of the most important steps towards fusion electricity, and the water-cooled lead–lithium breeding blanket could be an integral part of it. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the VALIDATIO project will develop the experimental database critically needed to validate code that will simulate accident conditions and improve numerical modelling capabilities.

Objective

The main objectives of VALIDATIO are to first characterize the chemical reactions of Lead-Lithium, water, and non-condensable gases, under conditions similar to those expected for the European water cooled lead lithium (WCLL) breeding blanket (BB) under accident conditions and the creation of an experimental database for SIMMER code validation by performing series of experiments at the existing experimental facility LIFUS5/Mod3 (Brasimone, Italy) (this part of the work is very challenging since reaction characteristics of Lead-Lithium, water and non-condensable is highly sensitive to thermo-dynamic conditions of the environment (pressure, temperature, velocity etc.)) and based on obtained experimental data perform the verification and validation of SIMMER code, modification in code for irregularities found in the validation process and perform the safety analysis of WCLL-BB.The problem is very challenging since the available experimental data for code validation is extremely limited. Only very little useful information is available in the literature; therefore, a dedicated experimental campaign is always highly advantageous for code validation and verification under the accident scenario. This issue is also complicated since the interaction of fluids results in multi-component, multi-phase flow, which is very hard to model.
I intend to perform a series of experiments on Lead-Lithium, water, and non-condensable chemical interaction (which I will design to accommodate for all the possible sample conditions that may encounter under WCLL-BB under different accident conditions) at the experimental facility, LIFUS5/Mod3 to obtain the database and to experimentally characterize the process. The obtained database will be utilized for the validation, verification, and modification of the SIMMER code to improve the numerical modeling capability of the code to simulate such accident scenarios.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DI PISA
Net EU contribution
€ 183 473,28
Address
LUNGARNO PACINOTTI 43/44
56126 Pisa
Italy
Region
Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 183 473,28