Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Engineers from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University are developing an improved mixing grid for a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR), designed for additive manufacturing. This development is unique worldwide. Using SMRs with optimized mixing grids will make it possible to provide lower-cost electricity to the most remote and inaccessible areas of Russia in the future. This work is being supported by the federal program "Priority 2030."
The economic efficiency of using nuclear power plants with small modular reactors lies in their long operating cycles, meaning that a single fuel load allows them to operate for several years without refueling. This makes them more cost-effective than traditional combined heat and power plants and fuel oil-fired stations, including by reducing the cost of fuel delivery.
Small modular nuclear reactors are based on the most common type of reactor in the nuclear power industry today, the pressurized water reactor (VVER). Their operating principle involves heating pressurized water through contact with honeycomb-structured fuel assemblies. A key component of such an assembly is the mixing grid, which is designed to enhance coolant mixing and reduce uneven thermal flow characteristics. On the other hand, bubbles form on the surface of the fuel elements (which make up the assembly), which can lead to boiling zones and overheating. Therefore, the second objective of upgrading the mixing grid, in addition to enhancing heat transfer, is to eliminate these boiling zones.
The uniqueness of the SPbPU team's development lies in the fact that they are the first in the world to design a new product directly for production using 3D printing. Traditional manufacturing technologies based on the processing of solid metal sheets have exhausted their potential for further efficiency gains. Additive manufacturing, on the other hand, allows for the creation of parts with complex internal geometries, the optimization of which significantly improves the hydrodynamic and heat-removal properties of the grid. Ultimately, the use of modernized mixing grids will reduce the cost of generated electricity by 5%.
The development of small modular nuclear reactors is a long-term project, actively supported by the state through its programs. Achieving technological leadership is impossible if we only address current challenges. Furthermore, Russia is currently implementing the national project "New Nuclear and Energy Technologies," which, among other things, aims to ensure sovereignty in the nuclear sector and develop small modular reactors, notes Nikolai Efimov-Soini, Deputy Director of the Computer Engineering Center at the Advanced Engineering School "Digital Engineering" at SPbPU.
SPbPU engineers are designing a mixing grid using the CML-Bench® digital platform for developing and applying digital twins. This platform is unparalleled in Russia in terms of the volume of digital and design solutions it offers (over 375,000), including for the nuclear industry. Using advanced digital twin technology not only reduces the cost of product development and production but also significantly reduces the number of required full-scale tests by conducting a large number of digital tests on specialized rigs and testing grounds.
The project is scheduled to last three years. Currently, the scientists are developing a digital design methodology that will determine all necessary parameters (including physical ones), their mutual influence, and the final result, as well as an improved design of the mixing grid itself with improved target function performance.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.