discovered_01_2016 - Hot Steam, Cool Droplets

WWW.HZDR.DE discovered 01.16 RESEARCH It is a piece of metal that looks like a small gray hedgehog. It is hollow inside. To Sebastian Unger, the hedgehog is a step towards finding a solution for a more efficient cooling cycle that requires no electricity. This is vital for nuclear power plant safety, but also relevant for many other applications. For a year, the young scientist has been working on his doctorate in "Heat transfer systems for improved passive cooling in nuclear systems", which mainly revolves around cooling fuel element storage pools in the event of an accident or a power outage. "I find it exciting to use my knowledge of engineering to solve process and energy problems," says the 27-year-old, describing his motivation. He studied Energy Technology at TU Dresden with a specialization in thermodynamics. Heat from nuclear energy is generated by controlled nuclear fission and the radioactive decay in the reactor’s fuel elements. Spent fuel elements are replaced, but they continue to release a lot of decay heat, which means they have to be cooled for another five years in a wet storage pool within the plant. If there is a cooling outage, the temperature in this pool will rise rapidly and things can get dangerous. The fuel elements might become so overheated that their cladding would eventually burn and melt and radioactive substances might be released. To prevent this from happening, it is essential that the temperature in the storage pools is maintained. If pumps fail due to a power outage, passive safety systems must take over. // Three young scientists are taking a closer look at heat transfer during boiling and condensation. Their findings might enhance safety in nuclear facilities and increase the efficiency of cooling systems and energy production. _Text . Inge Gerdes HOT STEAM, COOL DROPLETS HEDGEHOG: In order to maintain the temperature in fuel rod cooling ponds when accidents occur or the power goes, doctoral candidate Sebastian Unger is focusing on a novel coating. Photo: Oliver Killig

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