超临界水冷堆CSR1000燃料组件子通道分析

利用实验数据和计算流体力学(CFD)商用软件CFX对现有子通道分析模型进行研究,分析其在超临界水冷堆(SCWR)分析中的适用性,并根据分析结果对ATHAS程序进行改进。采用改进的ATHAS程序对超临界水冷堆CSR1000燃料组件进行稳态子通道分析,获得燃料组件冷却剂和包壳温度分布、流动压降等参数。结果表明:减小螺旋肋螺距(Hw)可展平燃料组件冷却剂出口温度分布、降低包壳表面最高温度(MCST),但同时燃料组件流动阻力将增大。     

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。     

环形燃料超临界水冷堆中子学计算方法研究

基于先进组件程序HELIOS和堆芯节块法程序SIXTUS,研发了超临界水冷堆（SCWR）的中子学计算程序FENNEL-N,并通过与蒙特卡罗程序对比分析了其用于环形燃料超临界水冷堆计算的精度。组件验证结果表明：制作多群数据库的压水堆能谱与超临界水冷堆能谱的差异是导致计算误差的主要原因。堆芯验证结果表明：传统的组件均匀化方法在计算超临界水冷堆时会引入较大误差。应用FENNEL-N程序对组件均匀化方法进行了研究,结果表明,采用优化的组件参数少群结构能减少堆芯能谱变化对精度的影响,采用超组件模型计算组件参数可考虑反射层对组件参数的影响。采用新的组件均匀化方法后,FENNEL-N的计算精度满足了预概念设计需求。     

超临界水冷堆MOX燃料特性分析

针对超临界水冷堆组件,采用不同Pu含量的MOX燃料进行组件计算,得到不同燃料条件下的燃耗深度、功率分布因子、慢化剂温度反应性系数等结果,并对比分析在超临界水冷堆中应用MOX燃料与应用UO2燃料对组件性能的影响,以及不同Pu含量MOX燃料间的性能区别。分析结果表明,在超临界水冷堆设计中,应用MOX燃料与应用UO2燃料有相似的功率分布,应用MOX燃料可以增加燃耗深度,并有良好的慢化剂温度反应性系数。经过合理设计的MOX燃料可较好应用于超临界水冷堆中,且产生更好的性能。     

超临界水冷堆燃料棒性能分析程序适用性研究

根据超临界水冷堆(SCWR)燃料棒的热工水力特点,基于压水堆(PWR)燃料棒性能分析程序的理论模型和计算方法研究燃料包壳的物性模型和超临界水(SCW)与燃料包壳的传热模型,建立适用于SCWR燃料棒的性能分析程序——SCWRFPA。采用SCWRFPA和可分析SCWR的热工水力子通道程序ATHAS分别对1/8欧洲超临界轻水堆(HPLWR)燃料组件燃料棒进行计算,其计算结果基本一致。     

超临界水冷堆堆芯子通道稳态热工分析

超临界水冷堆(SCWR)作为6种第四代未来堆型中唯一的水冷堆,冷却剂出口温度可达500℃,具有良好的经济性.本文采用改进的COBRA-IV程序对超临界水冷堆方形组件子通道进行稳态热工分析.对计算结果进行分析可知:减小慢化剂通道中给水质量流量份额和加大慢化剂通道与相邻子通道之间的热阻,可以降低热管焓升,后者还可以得到较好的慢化效果.通过热通道的传热恶化分析发现,超临界水冷堆的设计不能避免传热恶化,必须精确计算传热恶化条件下的包壳温度才能确定包壳能否保证其完整性.     

CSR1000带肋子通道程序验证及分析

超临界水冷堆燃料组件多采用绕肋进行自定位,绕肋对于组件热工水力特性的影响较为复杂。在超临界子通道程序ATHAS的基础上改进绕肋处理模块,并基于计算流体力学(CFD)工具对绕肋模型进行验证。改进后的子通道分析程序整体上能够反映出不同通道的变化趋势,对绕肋的几何参数变化也能做出较为合理的响应,证明绕肋模型正确;但在部分通道的预测上仍需要进一步改进。     

超临界水冷堆燃料性能验证实验回路的冷却剂丧失事故分析

超临界水冷堆燃料性能验证实验（SCWR-FQT）将对1个小型燃料组件在超临界水环境下进行堆内性能测试。本工作应用修改过的ATHLET程序对包含该燃料组件的超临界水冷实验回路进行建模,并对其冷却剂管道破口导致的失水事故进行分析计算。计算结果表明,现有安全系统设计基本能保证在这些事故情况下维持燃料棒实验段的有效冷却。结果显示,修改过的ATHLET程序对超临界水冷系统的模拟具有良好的适用性。     

燃料棒周向导热对超临界水堆堆芯子通道分析的影响

本文在子通道程序的燃料棒模型中引入三维导热方程,使该模型能用来模拟燃料棒的周向导热情况。采用改造后的子通道程序对混合谱超临界水堆设计中的两种燃料组件结构进行计算分析,研究燃料棒周向导热对超临界水堆燃料组件子通道分析的影响。结果表明：热谱组件的子通道计算中,燃料棒周向导热的影响不能忽略;快谱组件的子通道计算中,燃料棒周向导热的影响基本可忽略。     

超临界水冷堆燃料组件及堆芯方案简化设计研究

为解决超临界水冷堆中子慢化不足的问题,采用在燃料组件中设置“水棒”或者加入固体慢化剂的设计方法,同时堆芯冷却剂采用多流程流动方案,导致燃料组件和堆芯结构复杂化,并向堆内引入较多强中子吸收结构材料。因而基于CSR1000研究结果,开展了简化超临界水冷堆燃料组件及堆芯结构设计。研究结果有效简化了超临界水冷堆燃料组件和堆芯结构。      

Thermal-hydraulic and neutron-physical characteristics of a new SCWR fuel assembly

A new fuel assembly design for a thermal supercritical water cooled reactor (SCWR) core is proposed. Compared to the existing fuel assemblies, the present fuel assembly has two-rows of fuel rods between the moderator channels, to achieve a more uniform moderation for all fuel rod cells, and subsequently, a more uniform radial power distribution. In addition, a neutron-kinetics/thermal-hydraulics coupling method is developed, to analyze the neutron-physical and thermal-hydraulic behavior of the fuel assembly designs. This coupling method is based on the sub-channel analysis code COBRA-IV for thermal-hydraulics and the neutron-kinetics code SKETCH-N for neutron-physics. Both the COBRA-IV code and the SKETCH-N code are accordingly modified. An interface is established for the data transfer between these two codes. This coupling method is applied to both the one-row fuel assemblies (previous design) and the two-row fuel assemblies (present design). The performance of the two types of fuel assemblies is compared. The results show clearly that the two-row fuel assembly has more favorable neutron-physical and thermal-hydraulic characteristics than the one-row fuel assembly. The effect of various parameters on the fuel assembly performance is discussed. The coupling method is proven to be well suitable for further applications to SCWR fuel assembly design analysis.     

基于SCWR堆芯结构的子通道程序开发与应用

为能够对超临界水堆（SCWR）堆芯进行子通道分析,开发了新的子通道分析程序SABER。该程序在COBRA程序的基础上改进了网格结构和热传导模型,加入了新的边界条件和水物性模块,以适用于SCWR慢谱燃料组件的子通道分析。为评估程序的适用性,采用该程序对SCWR堆芯概念设计中的慢谱燃料组件进行子通道建模,并进行稳态计算。结果表明,该程序能够用于SCWR堆芯的子通道计算分析,并较好地解决了慢谱组件计算中慢化通道和冷却通道间的热耦合及逆向流动的模拟问题。     

超临界水冷混合堆快谱区组件物理——热工分析

提出了超临界水冷混合堆快谱区多层燃料组件设计方案.应用MCNP程序为该组件建立计算模型,并进行了相应的物理计算;同时运用子通道分析程序STAFAS对多层燃料组件子通道进行了初步的稳态热工分析.计算结果表明:超临界水冷混合堆快谱区多层燃料组件燃料转换比超过1.0,并且获得负的冷却剂空泡反应性系数;燃料包壳表面最高温度约为595℃,低于设计准则规定的上限值,同时组件各子通道出口冷却剂温度均匀性较好.通过对燃料棒径敏感性分析可知,较大棒径组件燃料转换比较大,但也会导致热通道包壳表面温度峰值升高.     

超临界水混合堆快谱区组件物理-热工性能分析

提出超临界水混合堆快谱区多层燃料组件设计方案。用MCNP与STAFAS程序对多层燃料组件进行初步的中子物理与热工水力性能分析,同时对组件结构参数（栅距与棒径比P/D）进行敏感性研究。结果表明：快谱多层燃料组件设计不仅能够实现核燃料的增殖,且可获得较大的负冷却剂温度反应性系数与燃料温度反应性系数;减小P/D均可提高燃料的转换比,但较小P/D会导致核热点因子增大。适当调整组件裂变区燃料富集度可有效改善组件裂变区轴向功率不均匀性,降低核热点因子。     

Sub-channel analysis of CANDU–SCWR and review of heat-transfer correlations

The paper presents the results of sub-channel analysis of CANDU–SCWR based on a wide review of heat transfer correlations. According to comparison with experiment data at different heat flux, Bishop Correlation is selected in SUBCHAN code to analyze CANDU–SCWR fuel channel. By detailed calculation of 43 fuel rods fuel channel in CANDU–SCWR, the paper gets the conclusion that the mass flux redistribution and reduction of heat-transfer coefficient at supercritical condition caused by the steep change of coolant density will limit the power of fuel channel in CANDU–SCWR.     

Design analysis of core assemblies for supercritical pressure conditions

The increase of steam parameters to supercritical conditions could reduce the power generating costs of light water reactors significantly [Proceedings of SCR-2000 (2000) 1]. Core assemblies, however, will differ from current BWR or PWR design. In this context, this paper summarizes the main results related to a thermal-hydraulic design analysis of applicable fuel assemblies. Starting from a thorough literature survey on heat transfer of supercritical fluids, the current status indicates a large deficiency in the prediction of the heat transfer coefficient under reactor prototypical conditions. For the thermal-hydraulic design of such fuel assemblies the sub-channel analysis code Sub-channel Thermal-hydraulic Analysis in Fuel Assemblies under Supercritical conditions (STAFAS) has been developed, which will have a higher numerical efficiency compared to the conventional sub-channel analysis codes. The effect of several design parameters on the thermal-hydraulic behaviour in sub-channels has been investigated. Based on the results achieved so far, two fuel assembly configurations are recommended for further design analysis, i.e. a tight square lattice and a semi-tight hexagonal lattice.     

Studies on supercritical water reactor fuel assemblies using the sub-channel code COBRA-EN

In the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) program, the supercritical water reactor (SCWR) concept is among the six innovative reactor types selected for development in the near future. In principle the higher efficiency and better economics make the SCWR concept competitive with the current reactor design. Due to different technical challenges that, however exist, fuel assembly design represents a crucial aspect for the success of this concept. In particular large density variations, low moderation, heat transfer enhancement and deterioration have a strong effect on the core design parameters. Only a few computational tools are currently able to perform sub-channel thermal-hydraulic analysis under supercritical water conditions. At JRC-IE the existing sub-channel code COBRA-EN has been improved to work above the critical pressure of water. The water properties package of the IAPWS Industrial Formulation 1997 was integrated in COBRA-EN to compute the Thermodynamic Properties of Water and Steam. New heat transfer and pressure drop correlations more indicated for the supercritical region of water have also been incorporated in the code. As part of the efforts to appraise the new code capabilities, a code assessment was carried out on the hexagonal fuel assembly of a fast supercritical water reactor. COBRA-EN was also applied in combination with the neutronic code MCNP to investigate on the use of hydride fuel in the HPLWR supercritical water fuel assembly. The results showed that COBRA-EN was able to reproduce the results of similar studies with acceptable accuracy. Future activities will focus on the validation of the code against experimental data and the implementation of new features (counter-current moderator channel, wall, and wire-wrap models).     

Numerical analysis of heat transfer in supercritical water cooled flow channels

Research activities are ongoing worldwide to develop nuclear power plants with a supercritical water cooled reactor (SCWR) with the purpose to achieve a high thermal efficiency and to improve their economical competitiveness. However, there is still a big deficiency in understanding and prediction of heat transfer in supercritical fluids. In this paper, heat transfer of supercritical water has been investigated in various flow channels using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code CFX-5.6 to provide basic knowledge of the heat transfer behaviour and to gather the first experience in the application of CFD codes to heat transfer in supercritical fluids. Three different flow channels are selected, i.e. circular tubes, the sub-channel of a square-array rod bundle and the sub-channel of a triangular-array rod bundle. The effect of mesh structures, turbulence models, as well as flow channel configurations is analysed. Based on the present results, recommendations are made on the application of turbulence models to the heat transfer of supercritical fluids in various flow channels. A new definition for the onset of heat transfer deterioration is proposed. A strong non-uniformity of heat transfer is observed in sub-channel geometries. This non-uniformity has to be taken into account in the design of fuel assemblies of SCWR.