Distributed parameter analysis for the prediction of the fine structure of flow and temperature fields in wire-wrapped fuel pin bundle geometries

This paper describes the numerical method of a distributed parameter analysis code SPIRAL for the calculation of fluid flow and temperature in arbitrary channel geometries, discusses the numerical method in the modeling and solution of the problem, and presents some results, including comparison with experiments.

The derivation and solution of the finite element equations is discussed. In order to overcome difficulties arising from the geometry, the Galerkin finite element method using isoparametric elements was employed, and a procedure of finite element generation using curvilinear coordinate system was developed.

The SPIRAL code permits calculation of the fine structure of the multi-dimensional steady-state single-phase fluid flow and temperature fields in LMFBR fuel pin subassemblies in the presence of wire spacers. Calculated results are presented for crossflow velocity distributions and crossflow pressure drop characteristics in a tube bundle geometry with and without wire spacers, natural convection and heat transfer in horizontal annuli, flow in a wire-wrapped 7-pin bundle geometry and fully developed turbulent flow in a parallel 4-rod array contained in a rectangular duct.