Research on the Structural Performance of Liquid Nitrogen Ice Plugs on Nuclear Power Pipes

Wei Zhang, Ke Xu, Minglei Hu, Huijie Liang, Hao Chen, Liqun Wang and Yongqiang Feng ()
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Wei Zhang: China Nuclear Power Operation Management Co., Ltd., Jiaxing 314300, China
Ke Xu: China Nuclear Power Operation Management Co., Ltd., Jiaxing 314300, China
Minglei Hu: China Nuclear Power Operation Management Co., Ltd., Jiaxing 314300, China
Huijie Liang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Hao Chen: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Liqun Wang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Yongqiang Feng: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-19

Abstract: Nuclear energy, as an important component of the power system, has become a key focus of future energy development research. Various equipment and pipelines in nuclear power plants require regular inspection, maintenance, and repair. The pipelines in nuclear power plants are typically large, necessitating a device that can locally isolate sections of the pipeline during maintenance operations. Ice plug freezing technology, an economical and efficient method for maintaining and replacing equipment without shutdown, has been widely applied in nuclear power plants. The structure of the ice plug jacket, a type of low-temperature jacket heat exchanger, affects the flow path of the working fluid within the jacket and consequently impacts heat transfer. This study utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to establish five types of jacket structures: standard, center-offset (center-in, side-out), helical, helical fin, and labyrinth. The effects of different structures on the freezing characteristics of ice plugs are analyzed and compared. The research indicates that the labyrinth jacket enhances the heat transfer performance between liquid nitrogen and the liquid inside the pipe, forming a larger ice layer at the same liquid nitrogen flow rate. Additionally, the standard jacket has the shortest sealing time at high liquid nitrogen flow rates.

Keywords: nuclear power pipelines; liquid nitrogen flow rate; ice plugs; jacket structures; intensive heat transfer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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