CFD analysis of PWR core top and reactor vessel upper plenum internal subdomain models

One aspect of the Westinghouse AP1000™¹ reactor design is the reduction in the number of major components and simplification in manufacturing. One design change relative to current Westinghouse reactors of similar size is that AP1000 reactor vessel has two nozzles/hot legs instead of three. With regard to fuel performance, this design difference creates a different flow field in the reactor vessel upper plenum. The flow exiting from the core and entering the upper plenum must turn toward one of the two outlet nozzles and flow laterally around numerous control rod guide tubes and support columns. Also, below the upper plenum are the upper core plate and the top core region of the 157 fuel assemblies and 69 guidetube assemblies.To determine how the lateral flow in the top of the core and upper plenum compares to the current reactors a CFD model of the flow in the upper portion of the AP1000 reactor vessel was created.Before detailed CFD simulations of the flow in the entire upper plenum and top core regions were performed, conducting local simulations for smaller sections of the domain provided crucial and detailed physical aspects of the flow. These sub-domain models were used to perform mesh sensitivities and to assess what geometrical details may be eliminated from the larger model in order to reduce mesh size and computational requirements. In this paper, CFD analysis is presented for two subdomain models: the top core region and control rod guide tube region. These models are chosen for simulation because guide tube and top core region (including top grid, top nozzle, and hold-down device) are the major components of upper plenum effecting the flow patterns and pressure distribution.The top core region, corresponding to ¼ of fuel assembly, includes components as upper part of the fuel assemblies (top grid, fuel rods, top nozzle), core component hold-down devices, and upper core plates. These components distribute the core flow to different sections of guidetube regions. Mesh sensitivity studies have been conducted for each individual part in order to determine the proper geometrical simplifications. Pressure drop measurement data are compared with the predicted CFD results and act as a guideline for the mesh selection.The guidetube region includes control rod guidetubes themselves, adjacent support columns and open regions. In this study, two models of subdomains are analyzed: (1) a ¼ section of one control rod guide tube by itself and (2) a representative unit cell containing two ¼ sections of adjacent control rod guide tubes and one ¼ section of a neighboring support column.Predicted flow rates at each of the outflow locations in conjunction with results from the mesh sensitivity studies provide guidance on (1) what geometry to preserve or remove, (2) what geometry can be simplified to reduce the required mesh, and (3) an estimate of the total mesh required to model the entire upper plenum and top fuel domain.The commercial CFD code STAR-CCM+ is employed to generate the computational mesh, to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible flow with a Realizable k–? turbulence model, and to post-process the results.     

混合能谱超临界水冷堆反应性引入事故安全分析

本文研究了混合能谱超临界水冷堆(SCWR-M)在发生控制棒失控提升事故和弹棒事故这两类反应性引入事故后的反应堆系统响应。首先利用修改的可用于超临界条件下的系统程序RELAP5对混合能谱超临界水冷堆进行系统建模,并计算分析在功率运行工况下事故过程中功率、流量及包壳温度等重要参数的变化趋势,最后对反应性参数如控制棒价值、控制棒抽出速率和负反馈系数进行了参数效应分析。结果表明,在设计工况下混合能谱超临界水冷堆系统可有效地将衰变热导出堆芯,保证了燃料棒的完整性。另外,反应性参数对控制棒失控提升事故的安全性影响不大,但对弹棒事故的包壳峰值温度影响很大,过于保守的反应性参数估计会使安全裕量大为减小。     

3He辐照考验装置反应性引入事故分析

在高通量工程试验堆（HFETR）中,3He回路内气体压力变化会向反应堆引入反应性,进而影响到HFETR的运行安全。本文利用蒙特卡罗（MCNP）程序计算了3He辐照考验装置反应性变化速率,并利用RELAP5程序对3He屏失压与HFETR 1根控制棒失控提出叠加事故进行了分析。结果表明,正常工况下,3He回路辐照试验不影响HFETR 正常运行;3He屏失压事故与HFETR事故工况叠加不会影响HFETR安全。      

基于Dragon与Donjon程序的液态熔盐实验堆临界计算与分析

基于组件输运程序Dragon与堆芯节块法程序Donjon,对包含有上下熔盐腔室、控制棒、实验孔道与中子源孔道的液态熔盐实验堆堆芯进行了计算与分析,给出了液态熔盐实验堆不同组件的等效均匀化模型。根据液态熔盐实验堆特性将中子能群划分为5种少群能群结构,基于所划分的每一种少群能群结构,对单根控制棒与不同控制棒组插入堆芯后的有效增殖因数和控制棒价值进行了计算分析。结果表明,7群能群结构具有更好的计算结果。基于7群能群结构开展了堆芯径向与纵向功率分布,以及控制棒拔出后堆芯的温度反应性系数计算分析,其计算结果与MCNP5计算结果相近,证明了模型等效的合理性以及Dragon和Donjon程序对液态熔盐实验堆的适用性。     

Power control of CANDLE reactor by coolant flow rate

CANDLE reactors do not require control rods for burn-up control. Such reactors can achieve the excellent features of previously-considered CANDLE reactors such as constant power shape and reactivity feedback coefficients during the entire operation period at the rated power level. By eliminating control rod use for power level control, the CANDLE reactor can be operated in a load-following mode and its utility will expand dramatically.By numerical calculations, power control by coolant flow rate was studied for the sodium-cooled metallic fuel large CANDLE reactor. The effect of thermal expansion of the core support structure shows considerable contribution toward achieving negative reactivity feedback to improve the power controllability. We employ HT-9 and SUS316 for core support structures. Since the maximum cladding temperature reaches its design constraint, power level cannot be decreased less than its lower limit, which is 66% for HT-9 and 57% for SUS316.     

基于MPS算法的2×2棒束结构熔化行为数值模拟

以典型压水堆燃料组件2×2棒束结构为研究对象,建立了含定位格架和不含定位格架的棒束三维模型,基于半隐式运动粒子（MPS）算法对严重事故背景下棒束结构的熔化行为进行了数值模拟,分析了定位格架对棒束熔化过程中流道堵塞进程的影响。结果表明:MPS算法能够较好地模拟棒束结构熔化行为,定位格架会加快堆芯的熔化进程和冷却流道的堵塞速度,本文研究结果有利于严重事故下堆芯熔化模型的优化改进。      

冷却剂与含格架燃料棒束多场耦合分析

燃料棒束作为压水堆燃料组件的组成部分,其热工和结构特性直接关系到反应堆的安全。本文利用ANSYS WORKBENCH软件分析了冷却剂在5×5含定位格架燃料棒束通道内流动的分布,采用冷却剂与燃料棒束多场耦合的方式研究了燃料棒束的流动传热特性和结构形变特性。结果表明：定位格架扰动冷却剂形成横向二次流并在下游棒束间形成绕流;多场耦合条件下二次流峰值速度和平均速度均小于单流场的;二次流与燃料棒的热应力使棒束发生形变,功率和流动分布的不均匀导致形变在轴向和径向的不均匀;相较于无格架情况,定位格架的存在使冷却剂的搅混流动更加明显,冷却剂对燃料棒冲击增大;在有、无定位格架两种情况下棒束形变均很小,可保持原本结构的稳定。     

双面慢化环形燃料反应堆物理实验

环形燃料零功率反应堆是首个双面慢化环形燃料作为核燃料的反应堆。本文采用周期法、落棒法获取环形燃料零功率反应堆的临界参数、控制棒价值、元件价值、含Gd元件的反应性效应等关键参数,对环形燃料零功率反应堆的物理性能进行实验研究,验证环形燃料反应堆堆芯物理设计计算程序。结果表明：根据外推过程确定堆芯临界装载环形燃料元件96根,实心燃料元件172根,此时k_eff为1.000 40,堆芯调节棒价值为-247.5 pcm,安全棒价值为-1 358.4 pcm;元件价值与理论值平均偏差为1.3 pcm,含Gd元件反应性效应与理论值平均相对偏差为8.8%。本文结果为环形燃料的工程化设计程序提供关键数据支撑。     

Benchmark analysis of SPERT IV reactor

Benchmark calculations have been performed for SPERT IV D-12/25 core. Experimental data of the core was provided by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Combination of WIMS/D4 and CITATION codes has been used for performing the neutronic analysis of the reactor. Lattice calculations have been performed through WIMS/D4 while 3-dimensional reactor core has been modeled in CITATION. Ten energy groups were considered for these calculations. Energy wise microscopic cross-sections were generated for fuel, control absorber, control follower, guide tube, grid plate, reflector and structural regions separately of the core using WIMS/D4. Thermal neutron flux profiles at different axial and radial locations of the core were evaluated. Critical position of the control rods, excess reactivity, shut down margin, control rod worth, reactivity feed back coefficients and kinetic parameters of the core were estimated. Reasonable agreement has been found between experimentally determined and the calculated parameters.     

三维耦合分析软件的落棒事故分析

作为数值反应堆中必不可少的物理和热工部分,中广核研究院有限公司开发了三维物理热工耦合分析软件,通过动态链接库技术实现了自主研发的核反应堆系统瞬态分析软件和三维核设计软件的耦合,并已与国际基准题结果对比验证。本文为耦合软件的应用,围绕华龙一号的落棒分析问题,开展不同落棒组合的耦合计算分析,并研究停堆棒组落棒和温度调节棒（R）棒组两组落棒对堆芯功率的影响。分析结果表明,非中心对称的棒组落棒事故会导致堆芯径向功率出现不对称,并使得堆芯出口回路温度不同。落棒反应性价值越大,R棒调节后的稳态功率回升相比初始稳态差异越大,DNBR公式计算值的变化趋势与功率呈现相反规律。     

控制棒导向管外流道旁流特性实验研究

冷却剂流经核反应堆堆芯时,绝大部分通过燃料组件内部流过,带走裂变能量。另外一小部分作为旁流经过燃料组件外侧流道、控制棒导向管外侧及内侧流道流出。为确保反应堆在正常运行工况下的安全性,必须限制堆芯旁流流量。本文通过开展导向管外侧流道阻力特性实验研究,在不同流量工况下获得了分段压差,并进一步拟合了雷诺数与阻力系数的关系式。实验结果表明,导向管外侧流道压力损失主要集中在堆芯下栅格板处,当反应堆额定工况运行时,单组导向管外侧流量仅为0.196 m³/h。     

VVER反应堆燃料组件流动传热特性CFD分析

采用计算流体力学（CFD）方法对俄罗斯水-水高能反应堆（VVER）先进燃料组件（AFA）的流动传热特性进行模拟,获得了额定工况下燃料组件冷却剂流场、流动压降和温度分布等。结果表明:与内部含交混翼的格架相比,AFA燃料组件定位格架的压力损失较小;定位格架围板导向翼附近存在滞流现象,导致燃料组件外围区域冷却剂温度偏高;不同的测量管周向棒功率比K_c对燃料组件出口冷却剂温度的测量值有较大影响。该分析结果可为核电厂堆芯温升预警值ΔT_t的设定提供参考。      

Analysis of reactivity induced accidents at Pakistan Research Reactor-1

Analysis of reactivity induced accidents in Pakistan Research Reactor-1 (PARR-1) utilizing low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, has been carried out using standard computer code PARET. The present core comprises of 29 standard and five control fuel elements. Various modes of reactivity insertions have been considered. The events studied include: start-up accident; accidental drop of a fuel element on the core; flooding of a beam tube with water; removal of an in-pile experiment during reactor operation etc. For each of these transients, time histories of reactor power, energy released and clad surface temperature etc. were calculated. The results reveal that the peak clad temperatures remain well below the clad melting temperature during these accidents. It is concluded that the reactor, which is operated safely at a steady-state power level of 10 MW, with coolant flow rate of 950 m³/h, will also be safe against any possible reactivity induced accident and will not result in a fuel failure.     

Dependence of control rod worth on fuel burnup

One important parameter in the design and the analysis of a nuclear reactor core is the reactivity worth of the control rods, i.e. their efficiency to absorb excess reactivity. The control rod worth is affected by parameters such as the fuel burnup in the rod vicinity, the Xe concentration in the core, the operational time of the rod and its position in the core. In the present work, two different computational approaches, a deterministic and a stochastic one, were used for the determination of the rods worth dependence on the fuel burnup level and the Xe concentration level in a conceptual, symmetric reactor core, based on the MTR fuel assemblies used in the Greek Research Reactor (GRR-1). For the deterministic approach the neutronics code system composed by the SCALE modules NITAWL and XSDRN and the diffusion code CITATION was used, while for the stochastic one the Monte Carlo code TRIPOLI was applied. The study showed that when Xe is present in the core, the rods worth is significantly reduced, while the rod worth variation with increasing burnup depends on the rods position in the core grid. The rod worth obtained with the use of the Monte Carlo code is higher than the one obtained from the deterministic code.     

超高通量快中子试验堆堆芯初步概念设计

针对先进核能系统发展需要,提出了超高通量堆的堆芯概念设计。本文采用板型燃料、正方形燃料组件设计,设置宽流道保证堆芯冷却剂占有较高的体积份额。堆芯采用52盒燃料组件,设置8盒控制棒组件和较厚的反射层。通过堆芯概念设计方案评价,结果表明堆芯循环长度可达100EFPD(等效满功率天),所提出的超高通量堆的最大中子注量率可达到1.08×10¹⁶ cm^-2·s^-1。     

基于TREND程序的石墨通道液态熔盐堆无保护反应性引入事故初步分析

采用自编系统分析程序TREND,基于液态点堆动力学模型,针对10 MW石墨通道液态熔盐堆的设计,研究分析不同反应性在阶跃引入和线性引入情况下10 MW石墨通道液态熔盐堆堆芯功率、石墨温度和堆芯出口熔盐温度的瞬态变化。结果表明,阶跃引入低于570pcm（1pcm=10?5）反应性,堆系统能在无保护的情况下安全运行;当单根控制棒失提引入约800pcm时,反应性引入速率不超过8pcm/s,反应堆能够利用自身的温度、功率负反馈特性有效地控制功率峰值和降低堆芯出口温度,保证反应堆在无保护情况下安全运行。因此,液态熔盐堆具有良好的固有安全性。      

基于堆芯线性化模型的液态熔盐堆功率控制研究

液态熔盐堆中熔盐燃料依托主泵驱动在一回路中流动,在流动过程中造成了反应性损失,直接引起堆芯功率变化。考虑到熔盐燃料流动对堆芯功率控制的影响,建立了堆芯非线性模型,并对模型进行线性化处理。基于堆芯线性化模型,采用线性二次型高斯/回路传输（LQG/LTR）技术设计堆芯功率控制系统。以熔盐实验堆为例,开展堆芯反应性扰动控制研究。结果表明,采用堆芯线性化模型和LQG/LTR技术可以实现对液态熔盐堆堆芯功率的控制。      

西安脉冲堆反应性引入事故瞬态安全特性分析

为研究西安脉冲堆（XAPR）在意外引入反应性且停堆系统失效事故下的瞬态安全特性,本文基于XAPR的结构和运行特点,建立了适用于XAPR的瞬态热工水力分析模型,并开发了用于XAPR安全特性分析的瞬态热工水力程序TSAC-XAPR。利用TSAC-XAPR程序对反应性引入事故进行模拟计算,结果表明：当XAPR在额定功率范围内运行时,发生反应性引入事故后,堆芯能依靠自身的固有反馈机制使脉冲堆重新达到稳定运行状态;当运行功率过高尤其是超过临界值时,反应性引入事故将导致脉冲堆关键热工水力参数发生振荡,无法再次达到稳态。此外,不同反应性引入方式将影响堆芯参数在反应性引入过程中的变化趋势,但并不影响其最终稳态值。     

中国工程试验堆堆芯入口流量分配特性实验研究

堆芯入口流量分配研究是新型反应堆设计过程中一项重要的工程验证实验,其结果能为反应堆的热工水力及安全分析提供数据支撑。本文针对中国工程试验堆（CENTER）,采用缩比模型开展了堆芯入口流量分配特性实验研究,在不同工况下获得了模拟燃料组件、铍/铝组件、钴靶组件及控制棒导向管内的流量分配因子。实验结果表明：在本文研究的工况范围中,堆芯中大部分冷却剂流过模拟燃料组件,同类型模拟组件间的流量分配较均匀,最大流量相对偏差在±4%以内。实验入口总流量对流量分配特性几乎没有影响。     

Numerically simulating the thermal-hydraulic characteristics within the fuel rod bundle using CFD methodology

With the dramatic progress in the computer processing power, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology can be applied in investigating the detailed knowledge of thermal-hydraulic characteristics in the rod bundle, especially with the spacer grid. These localized information, including flow, turbulence, and heat transfer characteristics, etc., can assist in the design and the improvement of rod bundles for nuclear power plants. In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) CFD model with the Reynolds stresses turbulence model is proposed to simulate these characteristics within the rod bundle and subsequently to investigate the effects of different types of grid on the turbulent mixing and heat transfer enhancement. Two types of grid designs are used herein, including the standard grid and split-vane pair one, respectively. Based on the CFD simulations, the secondary flow can be reasonably captured in the rod bundle with the grid. The split-vane pair grid would enhance both the flow mixing and the heat transfer capability more than the standard grid does, as clearly shown in the simulation results. In addition, compared with the results of experiment and correlation, the present predicted result for the Nusselt (Nu) number distribution downstream the grid shows reasonable agreement for the standard grid design. However, there is discrepancy in the decay trend of Nu number between the prediction and measurement for the split-vane pair gird. This would be improved by adopting the finer mesh (y⁺ < 1) simulation and Low-Reynolds form turbulence model, which is our future research work.