Transient thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the lithium loop in space lithium-cooled fast reactor

Shuo Liu; Wenshu Li; Zhao Jin; Chenglong Wang; Suizheng Qiu; Tai Shi; Manzi He; Yinbo Yan

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626

Transient thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the lithium loop in space lithium-cooled fast reactor

Shuo Liu
, Wenshu Li
, Zhao Jin
, Chenglong Wang
, Suizheng Qiu
, Tai Shi
, Manzi He
, Yinbo Yan

School of Energy and Power Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The space lithium-cooled fast reactor (LFR) system incorporating the Stirling conversion power system is composed of reactor core, electromagnetic pump, gas–liquid separator, Stirling engine and heat pipe radiator. In this study, the lithium loop of the 2.4-MW space LFR was modeled based on RESYS code. Both full power and standby steady-state conditions are simulated to validate the accuracy and applicability of modeling the lithium loop. Three types of typical transient analyses are carried out, including the over-power accident, the low-power accidents, and the loss of flow accident (LOFA) in the lithium loop. The results provide valuable references for the shutdown signal setting, the operating temperature range of Stirling engine and the ground experiment for the space LFR system coupled Stirling engine.

Original language	English
Article number	114626
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Design
Volume	446
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626
State	Published - Jan 2026

Keywords

Lithium loop
Lithium-cooled fast reactor
Safety analysis
Space nuclear reactor
Thermal-hydraulic characteristics

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10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626

Cite this

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title = "Transient thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the lithium loop in space lithium-cooled fast reactor",

abstract = "The space lithium-cooled fast reactor (LFR) system incorporating the Stirling conversion power system is composed of reactor core, electromagnetic pump, gas–liquid separator, Stirling engine and heat pipe radiator. In this study, the lithium loop of the 2.4-MW space LFR was modeled based on RESYS code. Both full power and standby steady-state conditions are simulated to validate the accuracy and applicability of modeling the lithium loop. Three types of typical transient analyses are carried out, including the over-power accident, the low-power accidents, and the loss of flow accident (LOFA) in the lithium loop. The results provide valuable references for the shutdown signal setting, the operating temperature range of Stirling engine and the ground experiment for the space LFR system coupled Stirling engine.",

keywords = "Lithium loop, Lithium-cooled fast reactor, Safety analysis, Space nuclear reactor, Thermal-hydraulic characteristics",

author = "Shuo Liu and Wenshu Li and Zhao Jin and Chenglong Wang and Suizheng Qiu and Tai Shi and Manzi He and Yinbo Yan",

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year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626",

language = "英语",

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T1 - Transient thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the lithium loop in space lithium-cooled fast reactor

AU - Liu, Shuo

AU - Li, Wenshu

AU - Jin, Zhao

AU - Wang, Chenglong

AU - Qiu, Suizheng

AU - Shi, Tai

AU - He, Manzi

AU - Yan, Yinbo

PY - 2026/1

Y1 - 2026/1

N2 - The space lithium-cooled fast reactor (LFR) system incorporating the Stirling conversion power system is composed of reactor core, electromagnetic pump, gas–liquid separator, Stirling engine and heat pipe radiator. In this study, the lithium loop of the 2.4-MW space LFR was modeled based on RESYS code. Both full power and standby steady-state conditions are simulated to validate the accuracy and applicability of modeling the lithium loop. Three types of typical transient analyses are carried out, including the over-power accident, the low-power accidents, and the loss of flow accident (LOFA) in the lithium loop. The results provide valuable references for the shutdown signal setting, the operating temperature range of Stirling engine and the ground experiment for the space LFR system coupled Stirling engine.

AB - The space lithium-cooled fast reactor (LFR) system incorporating the Stirling conversion power system is composed of reactor core, electromagnetic pump, gas–liquid separator, Stirling engine and heat pipe radiator. In this study, the lithium loop of the 2.4-MW space LFR was modeled based on RESYS code. Both full power and standby steady-state conditions are simulated to validate the accuracy and applicability of modeling the lithium loop. Three types of typical transient analyses are carried out, including the over-power accident, the low-power accidents, and the loss of flow accident (LOFA) in the lithium loop. The results provide valuable references for the shutdown signal setting, the operating temperature range of Stirling engine and the ground experiment for the space LFR system coupled Stirling engine.

KW - Lithium loop

KW - Lithium-cooled fast reactor

KW - Safety analysis

KW - Space nuclear reactor

KW - Thermal-hydraulic characteristics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022920142

U2 - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626

DO - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114626

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105022920142

SN - 0029-5493

VL - 446

JO - Nuclear Engineering and Design

JF - Nuclear Engineering and Design

M1 - 114626

ER -

Transient thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the lithium loop in space lithium-cooled fast reactor

Abstract

Keywords

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