燃料组件典型栅元湍流激振数值研究

为掌握全长范围内的燃料棒振动响应特性,以用于燃料棒微动磨损寿命分析,本研究运用计算流体动力学（CFD）方法,对燃料组件典型栅元的湍流激振进行数值模拟分析,并通过棒表面的瞬态脉动压力分布开展不同夹持力下的单棒瞬态动力学分析。研究表明:格架上游的截面平均湍动能约为0.1 m2/s2,格架临近出口位置湍动能达到峰值的0.65 m2/s2,格架的存在显著增强了流场的湍流强度,这是造成燃料棒湍流激振的主要原因;通过瞬态动力学分析确定了均方根振幅最大的定位格架位置,并建立了该格架的均方根振幅和振动速度随夹持力变化的关联式。本研究将为后续微动磨损理论计算及实验验证奠定基础。      

格架松弛对燃料棒湍流激励及微振磨损的影响研究

假设所有支承有效,基于燃料棒模态分析的结果,根据压水堆燃料棒的流场分布特征,采用功率谱密度表征湍流激励,结合相关功率谱密度试验参数,求解了各阶模态的振动位移均方值,基于ARCHARD磨损公式计算了燃料棒刚凸位置的磨损深度。由于制造工艺、运输、辐照的影响,格架对燃料棒的夹持作用可能松弛。依次假设格架单个刚凸及弹簧松弛,研究了松弛对燃料棒模态、流致振动以及磨损的影响。结果表明：格架弹簧的松弛对固有频率的影响可忽略;原振幅较大的位置附近刚凸松弛对固有频率影响明显;堆芯入口及出口的横向流速较大,燃料棒底部和顶部的湍流激励振幅较大,这些位置的刚凸支承松弛使湍流激励振幅明显增大,中间位置的刚凸支承松弛对振幅影响较小;刚凸支承松弛对磨损深度的影响与对湍流激励最大振幅的影响趋势基本一致。磨损除了与湍流激励振幅相关,还与固有频率相关,顶部振型和频率乘积的影响大于底部格架位置,顶部格架刚凸松弛对磨损影响最大。     

A new method to predict Grid-To-Rod Fretting in a PWR fuel assembly inlet region

Grid-To-Rod Fretting (GTRF) is one of the main causes of leaking fuel in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). GTRF is caused by grid-to-rod gap, secondary flow, and axial/lateral turbulence caused pressure fluctuations within the fuel assembly, which produces rod vibration and wear. The cross flow and vortex shedding phenomenon produce low frequency vibration forces on fuel rods. In some plants, leaking fuel has been detected at the fuel inlet region of fuel assembly designs that do not have Protective Grid (P-grid) which, in addition to providing debris protection, also provides lateral stability against vibration. In order to understand the root cause of the fuel leaks, a thorough investigation of the flow field at the fuel inlet region is required. Leaking fuel has also been detected in the fuel inlet region in transition cores. In the transitional core arrangement, there are different fuel assembly designs next to each other. Due to the structure difference, there will be cross flow between fuel assemblies, which may be the initiating factor for fuel leaks.A method based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been developed in Westinghouse to predict the GTRF in the fuel inlet region. The fuel inlet region consists of the lower core plate, the bottom nozzle, the fuel rods, the thimble rods, the P-grid, and the bottom grid. This study employed CFD to investigate the unsteady forces on the fuel rods under typical reactor in-core conditions. Two fuel assembly (FA) inlet regions with and without the P-grid were simulated. The time history of the unsteady force components on fuel rods was recorded. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyses were carried out for the force history. Compared to the data from operating plants, the new method predicted synchronized excitation forces on the rods that leaked in real operation. The CFD results also demonstrated the advantage of using the P-grid. GTRF at the fuel inlet region can be significantly reduced when the P-grid is used in Westinghouse fuel assembly designs.     

The effect of fuel rod supporting conditions on fuel rod vibration characteristics and grid-to-rod fretting wear

The grid-to-rod fretting wear-induced fuel rod failure observed in PWRs may be caused by excessive fluid-induced vibration and inadequate fuel rod support by the spacer grid spring. In order to simulate in-reactor grid-to-rod fretting wear behaviors, the grid-to-rod fuel rod supporting conditions as a function of time were predicted by taking into account cladding creep rate, initial spacer grid spring deflection, spacer grid spring force relaxation, etc. Based on these grid-to-rod supporting conditions, the fuel rod vibration modes and natural frequencies were calculated with the help of the ANSYS code, while the fuel rod vibration amplitudes were estimated by the Paidoussis’ empirical formula. With these vibration characteristics that depend upon the grid-to-rod supporting conditions, the in-reactor fretting wear axial profile observed on the fuel rod surface are found to be simulated quite well. In addition, key design guidelines for the fuel assembly and the spacer grid are proposed to minimize the grid-to-rod fretting wear that may be utilized to develop an advanced fuel design against fretting wear.     

带格架5×5燃料棒束流致振动特性数值研究

核反应堆中,流动的冷却剂轴向冲刷燃料棒可能导致其振动,产生微动磨损,对整个核电厂的安全性以及经济性有重要影响。带格架棒束流致振动特性的研究是微动磨损研究的基础。本文基于欧拉-伯努利（Euler-Bernoulli）梁理论,采用动网格技术,通过Fluent实现流固耦合数值计算,并与不考虑振动耦合时的流场分布进行比较分析。重点分析了湍流强度、轴向速度等主要流体参数对振动位移均方根的影响,以及轴向流中流致振动机理。结果表明：燃料棒的振动位移均方根随着流速的增大而增大;燃料棒径向两侧的压力脉动是造成振动的因素之一;定位格架改变了较大振动出现的位置,明显加强了振动响应。     

Optimization of a nuclear fuel spacer grid spring using homology constraints

The springs in a spacer grid support the fuel rods in a nuclear fuel system. The spacer grid is part of the fuel assembly. Since the spring has repeated contact with the fuel rod, fretting wear occurs on the surface of the fuel rod. Design is usually performed to reduce the wear while the functions of the spring are maintained. The design process for the spring is defined by using the Independence Axiom of axiomatic design and the design is carried out based on the direction that the design matrix indicates. For a detailed design, an optimization problem is formulated. In optimization, a homologous design is employed to reduce the fretting wear. The deformation of a structure is called homologous if a given geometrical relationship holds for a certain number of structural points before, during, and after the deformation. In this case, the deformed shape of the spring should be the same as that of the fuel rod. This condition is transformed to a function and considered as a constraint in the optimization process. The fretting wear is expected to be reduced due to the homology constraint. The objective function is minimizing the maximum stress to allow local plastic deformation. Optimization results show that contact occurs in a wide range. The results are verified by non-linear finite element analysis.     

激光测振技术的可靠性试验研究

燃料组件在冷却剂高速冲刷下会产生流致振动,可能导致格架条带和燃料棒包壳的结构破坏,影响核电厂‘的安全性和经济性。激光可以穿透可视化试验段和冷却剂,打到格架条带表面,通过非接触方式测量其振动响应。非接触式激光测振技术在国内燃料研发过程中也具有重大应用价值与广泛的应用前景,试验中使用非接触式激光测振仪和传统的接触式单轴加速度计,测量了1000HZ、2000Hz和3000Hz三种不同激振频率下模拟燃料棒在空气环境、有机玻璃空气环境和有机玻璃水环境三种工况下的轴向与横向振动响应,验证了激光测振技术的可靠性。数据分析表明,激光测振技术相比加速度计具有更好的测量精度。     

Evaluation of fluid flow in the lower core of a PWR with Code_Saturne

In order to better understand the stresses to which fuel rods are subjected, we need to improve our knowledge of the fluid flow inside the core. The first spacer grid region is of particular interest, as fuel rod fretting has sometimes been observed at that level. Entry conditions depend on the geometry of the lower core plate and of the assembly nozzles. Distribution of flow in the downcomer and lower plenum is also a factor. A series of calculations are thus run with the incompressible Navier–Stokes solver, Code_Saturne, using a classical RANS turbulence model. The first calculations involve a global geometry, including part of the cold legs, downcomer, lower plenum, and lower core of a pressurized water reactor. The level of detail includes most obstacles below the core. The lower core plate and the fuel rod assemblies above it cannot be well represented within a practical mesh size, so that a head loss model is used. Different types of assemblies can be represented through different head loss coefficients. We make full use of Code_Saturne’s non-conforming mesh possibilities to represent a complex geometry, being careful to retain a good mesh quality. Steady-state or near steady-state results are obtained, which may be used as realistic entry conditions for full core calculations at assembly width resolution, and beyond those, mechanical strain calculations. We are especially interested in more detailed flow conditions and in the lower core area, so as in the future to quantify vibrational input. This requires a much higher resolution, which is limited to a scale of a few assemblies for practical reasons. At this scale, most of the features of the fuel rods, nozzles, and guide tubes are represented, though the geometry of the spacer grids is still much simplified, and details such as debris-trapping grids are ignored. Different meshes are used for different fuel types. For the moment, a constant velocity upstream of the lower core plate is used as an inlet condition. We have also built a small lower fuel rod assembly mock-up (1/5 scale 7 × 7 tube, 3 × 3 assemblies) with which we plan to obtain detailed flow information, and better qualify the use of our CFD codes with regards to this type of application.     

棒束通道内定位格架搅混特性PIV可视化研究

定位格架作为燃料组件中重要的组成部件之一,不仅在结构上固定燃料棒,而且在燃料组件内热工水力性能同样显著,特别是对工质的搅混性能直接关系到反应堆的经济性和安全性,因此有必要对燃料组件内定位格架搅混特性进行研究。本文通过粒子图像测速（PIV）技术开展了棒束通道内定位格架上下游流场的可视化研究,对比了有无格架棒束通道内流场的分布特征,定量分析了定位格架对棒束通道流场搅混的贡献。对不同流速下定位格架下游横纵速度的沿程变化特性进行研究,发现了不同流速作用下定位格架对横向、轴向速度的促进和抑制规律。另外,通过速度均方根对下游的湍流特性进行了评估。实验结果可为数值计算提供全场的数据验证,并可为定位格架设计和优化提供基础。     

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。      

Vibration analysis of a dummy fuel rod continuously supported by spacer grids

The fuel rods in the pressurized water reactor are continuously supported by a spring system called a spacer grid (SG), which is one of the main structural components for the fuel rod cluster (fuel assembly). The fuel rods have a vibration behavior within the reactor due to coolant flow. Since the vibration, which is called flow-induced vibration, can wear away the surface of the fuel rod, it is important to understand its vibration characteristics. In this paper, a modal testing and a finite element (FE) analysis using ABAQUS on a dummy fuel rod continuously supported by Optimized H Type (OHT) and New Doublet (ND) spacer grids are performed to obtain the vibration characteristics such as natural frequencies and mode shapes and to verify the FE model used. The results from the test and the FE analysis are compared according to modal assurance criteria values. The natural frequency differences between the two methods as well as the mode comparison results for the rod with the OHT SG are better than those with the ND SG. That is, in the case of the ND grid model using beam-spring elements, there was a large discrepancy between the two methods. Thus, we tried to modify the FE model for the ND SG considering the contact phenomena between the fuel rod and the SG. The results of the new model showed a good agreement with the experiment compared with those of a beam-spring model.     

管内过冷流动沸腾CFD模型参数敏感性研究

采用CFD方法对燃料组件进行过冷流动沸腾数值模拟研究是反应堆热工水力分析的一项重要内容。本研究使用STAR CCM+基于欧拉双流体模型结合壁面沸腾模型对管内过冷流动沸腾进行数值模拟,得到了壁面温度、主流温度及空泡份额的分布。基于实验结果对网格模型、湍流模型、壁面沸腾模型及相间作用力模型的参数设置进行了敏感性分析。研究结果表明,对于欧拉双流体模型,并非网格量越多结果越准确,加热面第1层网格的高度对结果影响显著。湍流模型和曳力模型对计算结果影响较小,非曳力中的湍流耗散力及升力对结果影响较大。Li Quan或Hibiki Ishii汽化核心密度模型与Kocamustafaogullari气泡脱离直径模型组合对壁面温度及空泡份额的计算较准确。本研究可为反应堆燃料组件内过冷流动沸腾数值模拟提供参考依据。     

FOCUS-type fuel assembly for PWRs

In recent years the development efforts for Siemens PWR fuel assemblies were mainly concentrated on reducing the fuel cycle costs and increasing the operational reliability of the fuel assemblies.The first objective was aimed at increasing the average discharge burnup to > 50 MWd/kgU and increasing the critical heat flux. The high envisaged burnup required to develop a corrosion resistant cladding tube outside the Zry-4 range. The decision was made to use a Duplex cladding tube consisting of a corrosion optimized outer layer on a Zry-4 base material. A ZrSnFeCr alloy with reduced tin content was chosen for the outer layer. The critical heat flux could be increased by introducing mixing vanes on the spacer grids within the active length.To reach the second objective, reliable avoidance of spacer grid damage during core loading and unloading and reduction of fuel rod defects by debris fretting, the spacer grid corners were improved and a debris separation grid was developed.These design improvements were introduced into the new FOCUS-type fuel assembly. The name FOCUS stands for “Fuel assembly with Optimized Cladding and Upgraded Structure”.     

脉动流下定位格架下游时均流场分布特性研究

研究流量波动下棒束通道内定位格架下游瞬时流场演变特性对于揭示海洋条件下燃料组件内流动换热机理具有重要意义。本文应用粒子图像测速（PIV）技术获得了脉动流下棒束通道内定位格架下游时空演变流场结构,分析了脉动参数（脉动周期和脉动振幅）对定位格架下游速度分布和湍流特性的影响。结果表明,脉动流下定位格架下游时均速度与定常流动下时均速度差异较小,且基本不随脉动振幅和脉动周期变化而变化;脉动流下的定位格架下游横向速度和轴向速度均方根与定常流动下的速度均方根存在明显差异,且随脉动参数变化呈现出不同的变化趋势。本文研究结果有助于揭示燃料组件在非稳态条件下瞬态特性,并为燃料组件的设计和优化奠定基础。      

脉动流下棒束通道内相位差及瞬态流场研究

事故条件及海洋条件下反应堆处于非稳态工况,堆芯燃料组件内热工水力行为具有瞬变及多因素耦合特性,对反应堆的安全提出更高挑战,因此有必要对燃料组件内瞬态特性进行研究。本文通过测量棒状燃料组件内压降和流量之间延迟时间开展棒束通道脉动流条件下相位差研究,对比了相位差在不同振幅、不同流动状态下的变化特性,并分析了定位格架对脉动流相位差的作用特点。另外,基于粒子图像测速（PIV）技术开展了脉动流条件下棒束通道内流场分布特性研究,对比了相同流量条件下稳态工况与瞬态工况下流场分布差异,分析了主流具备不同加速度时棒束通道内流场分布特征。实验结果表明：定位格架可减小脉动流下棒束通道内相位差;棒束通道内流场演化滞后于主流量变化。实验结果有助于揭示燃料组件在非稳态条件下瞬态特性,并为燃料组件的设计和优化奠定基础。     

超临界水冷堆环形燃料组件核热耦合分析

在超临界水冷堆预概念设计中,组件设计是十分重要的,将影响堆芯性能。超临界水冷堆中水密度变化剧烈的特性要求必须进行核热耦合分析。从中子学及热工性能角度,使用三维核热耦合程序对环形燃料组件进行了优化设计。应用中子学计算程序FENNEL-N对环形燃料组件进行三维扩散计算,可得到组件内单棒功率分布,应用热工计算程序SUBSC对组件进行子通道分析。在计算过程中,分析了燃料棒间距及燃料棒与组件壁盒之间的间隙对组件性能的影响。计算结果显示,增大棒间距和棒壁间隙能提高组件k_inf,但会增大组件内功率峰因子;子通道受热不均匀性对组件热工性能影响较大,通过加入定位格架的方式能展平冷却剂出口温度,降低最大包壳温度。对环形燃料组件的安全分析表明,从中子学角度该组件是安全的。     

Indirect estimation method of the turbulence induced fluid force spectrum acting on a fuel rod

This paper proposes a methodology to identify a turbulent flow induced force acting on a nuclear fuel rod based on the indirect input force estimation theory in structural dynamics, which is useful to predict the forcing function when the input force cannot be measured directly. Since the nuclear fuel rod in a PWR (pressurized water reactor) is exposed to coolant flow, the turbulence induced force generates a fuel rod vibration which may cause a fretting wear on the surface of the rod. This study develops a method to estimate turbulence induced force spectrum indirectly for a real scale fuel rod loaded in a nuclear fuel test facility. The proposed method requires a reliable finite element (FE) model which simulates the fuel rod dynamics well; therefore, the FE model is discussed, especially regarding the procedure to determine the effective rod density. Since the pellets rattle inside the tube due to small gaps between the tube and pellets, especially at the beginning of the fuel's life, the contribution of the pellet mass to the density for the FE model cannot be determined clearly. It is shown that the appropriate density can be estimated by comparing the natural frequencies from the modal test results of the rod (with pellet) and the tube (without pellet). Then, the indirect turbulence induced force estimation theory is applied to the fuel rod, and some numerical and test results are discussed to verify the applicability of the suggested method.     

棒束及格架布置对燃料组件搅混特性影响的实验研究

以CPR1000核电机组使用的格架组装的5×5棒束燃料组件为对象,开展了多组全长棒束燃料组件搅混特性实验,重点分析了冷-热棒布置形式、格架布置形式等几何参数对燃料组件搅混特性的影响规律,实验结果表明,冷-热棒中心对称布置时的燃料组件热扩散系数更接近真值;跨间搅混格架对燃料组件总体热扩散系数有较小增强作用,但对于棒束压降的贡献很低。      

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。