Unique Hong Kong lab aiming for enhanced nuclear energy

A pioneering new lab, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, has huge potential for nuclear energy research, according to scientists at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).

The JC STEM Lab of Innovative Thermo-Fluid Science will also contribute to "net-zero electricity generation' under Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050.

"The Lab will collaborate with local research users, including the power industry, construction companies, national laboratories, and related government departments," said Takashi Hibiki, Chair Professor of Thermal-Fluid Engineering at CityUHK.

"The Lab's research outcomes will benefit academia, education and industry, enhancing predictability, cost-effectiveness and safety in two-phase flow equipment design," he added.

The new lab, made possible thanks to a USD 1.2 million donation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, will focus on an array of high-tech areas related to power generation.

These areas include formulating key constitutive equations for advanced two‐phase flow analyses, producing unique experimental data to validate the advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, and developing the innovative high‐fidelity two‐phase flow CFD code for zero‐carbon energy science.

Two-phase flow technology is indispensable for power generation and energy-saving equipment in various industries, continued Hibiki.

These sectors include nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, aerospace engineering, petroleum engineering, marine engineering, chemical engineering, and building environment and energy engineering.

The lab will contribute primarily to zero-carbon energy through nuclear thermal-hydraulic research. Nuclear power plays a central role in zero-carbon emissions energy, as it produces electricity without CO₂ emissions.

Currently, about 25% of Hong Kong's electricity needs are supplied by the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant located to the northeast of Hong Kong.

The CityUHK scientists point out that nuclear safety, new reactor design, power uprate and life extension assessments require two-phase flow simulation in nuclear reactors. Accurate nuclear safety analyses for transient conditions and severe nuclear accidents are crucial for determining the licensing of nuclear reactors.

A much safer and more economical new reactor design process requires extensive two-phase flow simulations, which are essential for evaluating the possibilities of power uprate and life extension.

The lab's work will enhance nuclear safety (as well as public confidence) and cost-effectiveness through improved numerical simulation codes. These codes assess reactor safety, evaluate power uprate and life extension, and help create new nuclear reactor designs that are more economically competitive and safer.

The lab's outcomes will lead to enhanced safety, power uprate, and life extension, and will help create new reactor designs in the long term, the CityUHK team said.

Provided by City University of Hong Kong