CFD analysis of heat transfer in subchannels of a Super Fast Reactor

This paper presents CFD analyses of heat transfer in subchannels of a Super Fast Reactor fuel assembly. Analyses are concentrated on the circumferential temperature distribution on the cladding outer surface because the Maximum Cladding Surface Temperature (MCST) has been a crucial design parameter to evaluate fuel cladding integrity of the Super Fast Reactor. Speziale non-linear high Re k-? model, which can reproduce the anisotropic turbulence flow in non-circular flow channels, with two-layer near-wall treatment is adopted. The results show that heat conduction in the cladding should be considered in the CFD analyses. Larger circumferential temperature gradient occurs on the cladding surface in the edge and corner subchannels than that in the ordinary subchannel because of their special geometries causing larger heterogeneity of mass flow rate distribution inside the subchannels. Improved subchannel configurations to reduce the circumferential temperature gradient are proposed. This study will be a good guideline to the future core design improvement.     

LOCA Analysis of Super Fast Reactor

This paper describes loss of coolant accident (LOCA) analyses of the Supercritical-pressure Water-Cooled Fast Reactor (Super Fast Reactor). The features of the Super Fast Reactor are high power density and downward flow cooled fuel channels for the improvement of the economic potential of the Super Fast Reactor with high outlet steam temperature. The LOCA induces large pressure and coolant density change in the core. This change influences the flow distribution among the downward flow parallel channels. It will affect the safety of the Super Fast Reactor. LOCA analysis of Super Fast Reactor is important to understand the safety features of the Super Fast Reactor. Keeping the flow rate in the core is important for the safety of the Super Fast Reactor. In LOCA, it is difficult to maintain an adequate flow rate due to the once-through coolant cycle and the downward flow cooled fuel assemblies. Therefore, the early actuation of the Automatic Depressurization System (ADS) and reduction of the maximum linear heat generation rates of the downward flow seed fuel assemblies and Low-Pressure Core Spray (LPCS) system are necessary for the Super Fast Reactor to cool the core under LOCA. Analysis results show that the Super Fast Reactor can satisfy the safety criteria with these systems.     

Flow measurements in rod bundle subchannels with varying rod-wall proximity

Detailed measurements of fully developed, turbulent, air flow through a five-rod sector of a 37-rod bundle have been conducted for the design geometry of the bundle, as well as for several cases with the central rod displaced towards the external tube wall and/or towards a neighboring rod, including cases with rod-wall and rod-rod contact. The wall shear stress on an outer rod reached minima at rod-wall and rod-rod gaps and maxima at open flow regions. The average and the minimum wall shear stresses decreased dramatically only for very small values of the rod-wall gap. Measurements of the mean velocity, Reynolds stresses and turbulent scales in the wall and inner subchannels are presented mostly as iso-contours. Isotachs bulged towards narrow gaps and corners, with the bulging becoming more pronounced as the rod-wall gap decreased. The local friction factor not only varied appreciably around the rod as the gap decreased, but also had values much larger than the average friction factor based on the subchannel bulk velocity, due to the variability of the local flow width.     

Axial static pressure variations in inner and side subchannels of a 61-tube wire-wrap bundle

Measurements of axial distribution of the static pressure in an inner and side subchannel of a 61 wire-wrap tube bundle obtained with water at atmospheric conditions are presented. The wire wrap configuration is different from those used by previous workers and more representative of a bundle for the blanket of a Gas Cooled Fast Reactor. The data display axial static pressure variations which are attributed to the interchannel cross flow induced by the wire-wrap configuration. The static pressure drop over one wire pitch agrees well with the bundle pressure drop based on a bundle average Reynolds number and a friction factor f = 0.436 Re^−0.263 (Re > 2000). The experimental data obtained with water provide a useful benchmark to model and check the accuracy of thermal-hydraulic codes used for the analysis of subchannel flow distribution and pressure drop in wire wrap tube bundle cooled with one-phase fluid.The nodal subchannel code COBRA-IV was modeled by adjusting the forced cross-flow function to match the measured axial static pressure distribution in an inner and side subchannel. Some discrepancy remained in the static pressure profile in the side channel attributed to the flow distortion at the bundle exit.     

Simulation of turbulent flow inside different subchannels in tight lattice bundle

In this paper, both steady and unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS and URANS) methodology are applied to the prediction of turbulent flow inside different subchannels in tight lattice bundles.Two typical configurations of subchannels (i.e., wall subchannel and center subchannel) are chosen to be investigated. In this work the application of different turbulence models implemented in the commercial code CFX v12 is shown. The validity of the methodology is assessed by comparing computational results of axial velocity, wall shear stress and turbulent intensity distributions with the experimental data (Krauss, 1996; Krauss and Meyer, 1998). This study shows that RANS simulation with anisotropic turbulent model produces excellent agreement with experiment, whereas it failed to predict the flow behavior accurately in the case of tightly packed geometries (P/D < 1.1). On the other hand, the URANS simulation is in good agreement with the results in tightly packed geometries with flow oscillation in the gap region. The effects of the Reynolds number and the bundle geometry on the flow oscillation are investigated in details.     

超临界水冷快堆增殖因子敏感性初步研究

从长远观点来看,超临界水冷快堆（SCFWR）的增殖性能是一个重要问题,由于超临界水堆中冷却剂密度仅相当于当前沸水堆（BWR）的1/3,加之稠密性栅格布置,SCFWR具有增殖的潜力。为了探究SCFWR的增殖性问题,利用基于多群三维细网有限差分中子扩散方程的堆芯核计算方法,设计不同的算例,分别计算了堆芯冷却剂流型、不锈钢和ZrH_1.7的利用、堆型布置、棒径大小、MOX燃料中PuO₂的份额、堆芯燃耗深度及堆芯尺寸等因素对SCFWR增殖性能的影响。计算结果表明,增大堆芯转换比的途径有：采用对流式流型、加入ZrH_1.7层、采用合适的堆芯布置、增加棒径、提高MOX燃料中PuO₂的份额及增大堆芯尺寸而减少中子泄漏等。从而为提高SCFWR的转换比提供了可参考的依据路线。     

Velocity distribution in the peripheral subchannels of the CANDU-type 19 rod bundle

Measurements of the detailed flow velocity and turbulent intensity in the peripheral subchannels of a non-wrapped CANDU-type 19-rod test bundle were performed by Laser Doppler Anemometry in a water loop. The bundle consisted of rods, 1.905 cm in diameter and 62.28 cm long, positioned by two 3 mm thick end-plates. The test housing was an 11 cm ID transparent pipe.The transverse velocity was negligible (0.002 m/s) and the turbulence intensity uniformly distributed (7%) throughout all the channel areas. The axial flow patterns for the peripheral subchannels are given, and show velocity gradients and average and peak velocities higher in the subchannels facing triangular channels than in subchannels facing square channels, even though they have the same cross-sectional areas.Experimental results show excellent agreement with COBRA-IIIC computer code calculation of flow distribution in CANDU-type reactors if the bundle is well-aligned and well-centered. The average and peak velocities of a off-centered bundle are also given.     

Analysis of fuel rod behavior under normal operating conditions in Super Fast Reactor

A Super Fast Reactor is a pressure-vessel type, fast spectrum supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) that is presently researched in a Japanese project. A preliminary core has been designed with 1.59E+06 W/m³ of power density [1]. In order to ensure the fuel rod integrity, the fuel rod behaviors under the normal operating conditions are analyzed using FEMAXI-6 code. Three types of the limiting fuel rods, with the maximum cladding surface temperature (MCST), maximum power peak (MPP) and maximum discharge burnup (MDB), are chosen to cover all the fuel rods in the core. The power histories of these fuel rods are taken from the neutronics calculation results in the core design. The available design range of the fuel rod design parameters, such as the initial gas plenum pressure, gas plenum length, grain size and pellet-cladding gap size, are found out in order to satisfy the following design criteria: (1) Maximum fuel centerline temperature should be less than 1900 °C. (2) Maximum cladding stress in circumstance direction should be less than 100 MPa. (3) Pressure difference on the cladding should be less than 1/3 of buckling collapse pressure. (4) Compressive stress to yield strength ratio should be less than 0.2. (5) Cumulative damage fraction (CDF) on the cladding should be less than 1.0. Finally the improved fuel rod design is proposed.     

我国的快堆技术发展和实验快堆

随着我国核电技术的发展,自主研制钠冷快中子增殖堆十分必要。本文介绍了我国在研究开发快堆技术方面的历史和实验快堆的设计原则、设计简介和安全特性。     

基于CFD的池式快堆多物理耦合分析方法研究

基于临界/次临界点堆中子动力学模型、燃料棒传热模型、热交换器和多孔介质等辅助热工水力模型,采用显式迭代和动态链接库技术(DLL),利用商用计算流体力学(CFD)程序FLUENT的用户自定义函数(UDF)实现中子动力学、燃料棒热传导等和快堆堆池冷却剂流动换热的耦合计算,开发池式快堆多物理耦合计算程序CFD/PF。采用CFD/PF开展小型自然循环铅铋快堆SNCLFR-10无保护超功率事故(UTOP)模拟,并与国际知名快堆多物理耦合分析程序SIMMR-Ⅲ的计算结果开展Code-to-Code对比分析。研究结果表明:CFD/PF与SIMMER-Ⅲ的分析结果吻合良好,耦合程序的开发取得了初步成功,可用于分析池式快堆堆池内的复杂三维流动和换热现象。     

CFD analysis of flow field in a triangular rod bundle

The flow field was investigated in subchannels of VVER-440 pressurized water cooled reactors’ fuel assemblies (triangular lattice, P/D = 1.35). Impacts of the mesh resolution and turbulence model were studied in order to obtain guidelines for CFD calculations of VVER-440 rod bundles. Results were compared to measurement data published by Trupp and Azad in 1975. The study pointed out that RANS method with BSL Reynolds stress model using a sufficient fine grid can provide an accurate prediction for the turbulence quantities in this lattice. Applying the experiences of the sensitivity study thermal hydraulic processes were investigated in VVER-440 rod bundle sections. Based on the examinations the spacer grids have important effects on the cross flows, axial velocity and outlet temperature distribution of subchannels therefore they have to be modeled satisfactorily in CFD calculations.     

基于CFD的铅基快堆单盒燃料组件堵流事故分析

铅基快堆在运行过程中产生的腐蚀产物有可能会在堆内沉积,导致堵流事故的发生。基于计算流体力学（CFD）软件 Ansys Fluent 分析了不同堵块面积、堵块厚度、堵块类型以及堵块位置对堵流事故中传热以及流场性质的影响规律。结果显示,堵块面积的增加会增加回流区域面积,使得温度回落更慢,传热恶化显著;堵块厚度的增加将导致冷却剂和包壳最高温度上升,极易导致包壳损坏;多孔介质堵块内冷却剂以较低流速通过,缓解了堵块造成的影响,其危害小于实心堵块;堵流发生在组件活性区中部与发生在活性区出、入口相比所造成的局部温升更加明显,危害更大。      

单盒钠冷快堆燃料组件堵流事故的CFD分析

钠冷快堆大都采用金属绕丝来固定燃料组件,细长狭窄的流道容易积聚腐蚀沉积物,可能会引起钠的局部沸腾和包壳的传热恶化。本文利用商用计算流体动力学软件STAR-CCM+程序对中国实验快堆单盒燃料组件的堵流事故进行了数值模拟,分析了包壳内壁面温度与冷却剂在堵块附近的轴向流场分布,并与正常工况下的计算结果进行对比。计算结果表明：实心介质堵流危害比多孔介质更为严重;实心介质堵流事故的包壳峰值温度局部最高点始终位于堵块中心位置,而多孔介质堵流事故的位于堵块后方,且随堵块面积的增大而往下游偏移;堵块的孔隙率对包壳在堵块下游的最大温升有明显影响,随堵块孔隙率的增大而减小。     

快中子反应堆增殖特性最优化分析

本文根据快中子反应堆生产电能的要求,把堆芯产生最大功率的问题描述为一个最优控制问题,求得最优中子通量分布。在此前提下,又根据采用氧化物燃料(UO_2-PuO_2)的快堆。在燃料循环周期内,增殖比在初始增殖比基础上随燃耗加深而逐渐下降的特点,用最优化方法解决了初始增殖比达到最大值的问题,为快堆设计提供了理论依据。     

Results of the temperature noise measurements in subchannels of sodium cooled electrically heated 28 rod bundle behind a blockage

For LMFBR safety studies a 28 rod bundle has been built at Petten (cooperation of GfK and ECN), representing a 60-degrees section of an SNR-300 fuel element having a 70% flat type central blockage. The aims of the temperature noise measurements were to determine the subchannel coolant velocities behind the blockage to study the mixing of coolant in subchannels of different temperature from behind the blockage to the outlet and to study the temperature noise due to boiling in a subchannel. The temperature noise measurements were carried out in parallel to the other measurements (temperature distribution, etc.), using signals of fourteen subchannel thermocouples placed in five measuring planes behind the blockage. The single phase measurements were made with several heat fluxes (5 W/cm² to 120 W/cm²), inlet flows (0.25 to 3 m/s) and inlet temperatures (250°C to 600°C). Two phase flow is initiated and sustained either by a slow and continuous pressure reduction or by stepwise reduction of the main flow. The temperature noise signals were amplified and recorded in analog form. Later the signals were digitized and analysed by digital computers. Part of the signals was also processed by a hardware correlator. The experimental results of the temperature noise measurements will be shown for the different conditions of the loop. Measurements clearly show the following effects:

• - the recirculation flow pattern due to the vortex in the wake behind the blockage;

• - the dependence of r.m.s. value of the noise on the heat flux and the coolant flow;

• - the increase in noise and change in power spectra when going from single phase to the boiling condition.

     

基于CFD的铅铋快堆上腔室降阶热分层模型开发

在铅铋快堆紧急停堆后,上腔室发生热分层现象对堆内结构完整性和自然循环余热排出能力产生重要影响,需要重点关注。为克服传统热分层分析方法的缺陷,基于计算流体动力学（CFD）程序Fluent得到高精度的全阶快照,通过特征正交基分解（POD）与Galerkin投影结合的方法构建降阶热分层模型。通过与CFD全阶热分层模型对热分层现象进行对比分析,研究结果表明所开发的降阶热分层模型能很好地模拟上腔室温度分布,能快速地开展铅铋快堆事故下的热分层界面特性研究。本文研究对热分层现象产生机理、有效遏制热分层现象产生提供了重要分析工具。     

Space-Dependent Neutron Spectrum Effects in a Fast Reactor

An analysis on the hydrodynamic instability of two-phase flow in parallel multichannels is conducted.

Occurrence of instabilities and their modes of oscillations can be evaluated by investigating into a characteristic equation, its roots and composing channel transfer functions. It is also shown that a governing matrix is reduced to a diagonal one by using its eigenvalues, the oscillation modes being divided into N (number of channels) separate fundamental modes. Characteristics of each oscillation mode are given by examining corresponding characteristic equations.

The derived equations are applied for the prediction of oscillation modes of systems composed of a few slightly different channels. The analysis successfully predicts the modes which have been experimentally observed.     

Power Maximization of a Lead-Bismuth Cooled Fast Reactor

Two variants of the arrangement of a fast reactor cooled by a eutectic alloy of lead and bismuth are studied. The first one is obtained by solving the problem of minimizing the void coefficient with drying of the central zone of the reactor. The second one is obtained by increasing the power by a factor of 1.5. Both problems contain a constraint for the reliability functionals, characterizing the nominal operating regime of the reactor, and the safety functionals, characterizing the intrinsic self-shielding from ATWS-type accidents.A fast reactor cooled with the eutectic alloy Pb–Bi possesses a high potential from the standpoint of increasing the power of the power-generating unit while maintaining safety at an acceptable level. 1 figure, 2 tables, 3 references.