Cooling performance of cooling panel in modular HTGR

An experimental work using a test apparatus of a cooling panel system was performed to investigate heat removal performance and temperature distribution of components. The test apparatus is composed of pressure vessel (1000mm in diameter, 3000mm in height) containing a heater (max.100kW, 600degC) which simulates a reactor core and cooling panels surrounding the pressure vessel. A two-dimensional time-dependent flow and heat transfer code which can calculate both the flow and the temperature distribution of the components with thermal radiation, conduction and natural convection was applied to the test apparatus of cooling panel system. The experimental and analytical works result in evaluation of temperature distribution of components and heat transfer performance with thermal radiation and natural convection (Ra = 1.97 x 109 of helium gas in the pressure vessel and Ra = 4.64 x 1010 of air outside of the pressure vessel). (author)