Double wall bayonet tube steam generator investigation in hero experimental campaign

The large LBE (Lead-Bismuth Eutectic) pool integral effect CIRCE (CIRcolazione Eutettico) facility at CR ENEA Brasimone, implementing the HERO (Heavy liquid mEtal pRessurized water cOoled tubes) Test Section (TS), has been involved in an experimental campaign investigating the thermal-hydraulic behavior of a new concept of Steam Generator (SG) based on double wall bayonet tubes concept. The R&D activities aim at improving the knowledge and the experience in terms of design and operations for Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) and Accelerator Driven System (ADS), and providing a database for STH codes validation. The HERO SG represents a mock-up (1:1 in length) of the ALFRED (Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator) Steam Generator. An experimental campaign has been carried out in the framework of the HORIZON2020 SESAME (Simulations and Experiments for the Safety Assessment of MEtal cooled reactors) European project, in order to support the development of the ALFRED SG with a set of high secondary side pressure tests (~172 bar). In the same configuration, an experimental campaign has been carried out with low pressure secondary side (~16 bar) in the framework of the HORIZON2020 MYRTE (MYRRHA Research and Transmutation Endeavour) European project providing support to the development of MYRRHA (Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications) and acquiring thermo-dynamic feedbacks of the Primary Heat Exchanger (PHX) behavior. For these purposes, the HERO TS has been implemented in the CIRCE facility and a dedicated instrumentation has been installed. The aim of this work is to present the experimental tests performed and the main results achieved in steady-state conditions, characterizing the system behavior in terms of primary LBE mass flow rate, temperatures and pressure, both at low and high pressure on the secondary side.