Gas-lift enhanced natural circulation of alkali and heavy liquid metals for passive cooling of nuclear reactors

Gas-lift enhanced natural circulation of alkali and heavy liquid metals is a desirable option for passive cooling advanced large, small, micro nuclear reactors, accelerator driven systems, thermal solar plants, experimental facilities test loops. The injected inert gas into the riser or chimney above reactor core needs to be in bubbly flow regime best performance. Gas-heavy maps are developed based on well-established theoretical knowledge reported data various In addition, thermal-hydraulics model validated using LBE-N2 LBE-Ar two-phase used parametrically investigate enhancement sodium, molten lead, LBE representative loop with Ar injection. For liquids Na, Pb LBE, determined average void fraction < 0.2. rates increase increased height and/or injection rate operating regime. same fraction, similar but much higher than that sodium. However, sodium has heat capacity at fission power density lower temperature rise across core.