Design and Integrity Evaluation of a Finned-Tube Sodium-to-Air Heat Exchanger in a Sodium Test Facility

A high-temperature design and an integrity evaluation for a finned-tube sodium-to-air heat exchanger (FHX) in a sodium test facility were conducted based on full 3D finite-element analyses, and comparisons of the design codes were made. A model FHX has been installed in a sodium test facility of sodium thermal-hydraulic experiment loop for finned-tube sodium-to-air heat exchanger (SELFA) for simulating the thermal hydraulic behavior of the FHX unit in the prototype Gen IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR). For the design evaluations, ASME Section VIII Div. 2 has been applied for the FHX as a whole. For parts of the FHX operating in the creep regime, nuclear grade elevated temperature design (ETD) codes of ASME Section III Subsection NH and RCC-MRx were additionally applied to evaluate the integrity against creep-fatigue damage. For parts of the FHX operating at low temperature, ASME Section III Subsection NB was applied additionally to evaluate the integrity upon load-controlled stresses and fatigue. The integrity of the FHX was confirmed based on the design evaluations as per the design codes. Code comparisons were made in terms of the chemical compositions, material properties, and conservatism. The conservatism was quantified and compared at the critical low temperature location between ASME Section VIII Div. 2 and ASME-NB, and at the critical high-temperature location between ASME-NH and RCC-MRx.