Direct implementation of an axial-flow helium gas turbine tool in a system analysis tool for HTGRs

This study concerns the development of dynamic models for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) through direct implementation of a gas turbine analysis code with a transient analysis code. We have developed a streamline curvature analysis code based on the Newton-Raphson numerical application (SANA) to analyze the off-design performance of helium gas turbines under conditions of normal operation. The SANA code performs a detailed two-dimensional analysis by means of throughflow calculation with allowances for losses in axial-flow multistage compressors and turbines. To evaluate the performance in the steady-state and load transient of HTGRs, we developed GAMMA-T by implementing SANA in the transient system code, GAMMA, which is a multidimensional, multicomponent analysis tool for HTGRs. The reactor, heat exchangers, and connecting pipes were designed with a one-dimensional thermal-hydraulic model that uses the GAMMA code. We assessed GAMMA-T by comparing its results with the steady-state results of the GTHTR300 of JAEA. We concluded that the results are in good agreement, including the results of the vessel cooling bypass flow and the turbine cooling flow. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.