Simplified CFD model of coolant channels typical of a plate-type fuel element: an exhaustive verification of the simulations

Autores

  • Javier González Mantecón Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP)
  • Miguel Mattar Neto Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v7i2B.621

Palavras-chave:

flat-plate fuel assembly, research reactor, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Grid Convergence Index

Resumo

The use of parallel plate-type fuel assemblies is common in nuclear research reactors. One of the main problems of this fuel element configuration is the hydroelastic instability of the plates caused by the high flow velocities. The current work is focused on the hydrodynamic characterization of coolant channels typical of a flat-plate fuel element, using a numerical model developed with the commercial code ANSYS CFX. Numerical results are compared to accurate analytical solutions, considering two turbulence models and three different fluid meshes. For this study, the results demonstrated that the most suitable turbulence model is the k-e model. The discretization error is estimated using the Grid Convergence Index method. Despite its simplicity, this model generates precise flow predictions.

Downloads

Os dados de download ainda não estão disponíveis.

Biografia do Autor

  • Javier González Mantecón, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP)
    Nuclear Engineering Center, Full-time PhD Student
  • Miguel Mattar Neto, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP)
    Nuclear Engineering Center, Senior Technologist

Referências

MILLER, D. R. Critical flow velocities for collapse of reactor parallel-plate fuel assemblies. J. Eng. Power, v. 82, p. 83–91, 1960.

STROMQUIST, W. K.; SISMAN, O. High Flux Reactor fuel assemblies vibration and water flow. ORNL-50, Oak Ridge, 1948, 55p.

DOAN, R. L. The engineering test reactor - a status report. Nucleonics, v. 16, 1958.

SMISSAERT, G. E. Static and dynamic hydroelastic instabilities in MTR-type fuel elements Part I. Introduction and experimental investigation. Nucl. Eng. Des., v. 7, p. 535–546, 1968.

SMISSAERT, G. E. Static and dynamic hydroelastic instabilities in MTR-type fuel elements Part II. Theoretical investigation and discussion. Nucl. Eng. Des., v. 9, p. 105–122, 1969.

GUO, C. Q.; PAIDOUSSIS, M. P. Stability of Rectangular Plates with Free Side-Edges in Two-Dimensional Inviscid Channel Flow. J. Appl. Mech., v. 67, p. 171–176, 2000.

LI, Y.; LU, D.; ZHANG, P.; LIU, L. Experimental investigation on fluid-structure interaction phenomenon caused by the flow through double-plate structure in a narrow channel. Nucl. Eng. Des., v. 248, p. 66–71, 2012.

HOWARD, T. K.; MARCUM, W. R.; JONES, W. F. A novel approach to modeling plate de-formations in fluid-structure interactions. Nucl. Eng. Des., v. 293, p. 1–15, 2015.

CURTIS, F. G.; EKICI, K.; FREELS, J. D. Fluid-Structure Interaction for coolant flow in re-search-type nuclear reactors, In: COMSOL CONFERENCE, 2011, Boston, 2011.

KENNEDY, J. C.; SOLBREKKEN, G. L. Coupled Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) modeling of parallel plate assemblies, In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASME 2011 INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CONGRESS & EXPOSITION, 2011, Denver: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2011.

BODEY, I. T.; CURTIS, F. G.; TRAVIS, A. R., ARIMILLI, R. V; FREELS, J. D. Research and development of multiphysics models in support of the conversion of the High Flux Isotope Reactor to low enriched uranium fuel. ORNL/TM-2015/656, Oak Ridge, 2015, 227p.

SALIM, S. M.; CHEAH, S. C. Wall y+ strategy for dealing with wall-bounded turbulent flows, In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MULTICONFERENCE OF ENGINEERS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS, 2009, Hong Kong, 2009. p. 1–6.

OBERKAMPF, W. L.; ROY, C. J. Verification and validation in scientific computing. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

EÇA, L.; HOEKSTRA, M. A procedure for the estimation of the numerical uncertainty of CFD calculations based on grid refinement studies. J. Comput. Phys., v. 262, p. 104–130, 2014.

ROACHE, P. J. Verification and validation in computational science and engineering. Al-buquerque: Hermosa Publishers, 1998.

ANSYS Inc. ANSYS CFX Documentation, Release 18. Canonsburg, 2016.

WHITE, F. M. Fluid Mechanics, 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011.

CELIK, I. B.; GHIA, U.; ROACHE, P. J.; FREITAS, C. J.; COLEMAN, H.; RAAD, P. E. Procedure for estimation and reporting of uncertainty due to discretization in CFD applications. J. Fluids Eng., v. 130, p. 1–4, 2008.

RICHARDSON, L. F. The approximate arithmetical solution by finite differences of physical problems involving differential equations, with an application to the stresses in a masonry dam. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A, v. 210, p. 307–357, 1911.

INVAP, Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor project - core thermal-hydraulic design in forced convection, RMBP-0130-2IIIN-005-A, 2013, 18p.

STERN, F.; WILSON, R. V.; COLEMAN, H. W.; PATERSON, E. G. Comprehensive ap-proach to verification and validation of CFD simulations - Part 1: methodology and procedures. J. Fluids Eng., v. 123, p. 793–802, 2001.

ANDERSON, J. D.; DEGROOTE, J.; DEGREZ, G.; DICK, E.; GRUNDMANN, R.;VIERENDEELS, J. Computational Fluid Dynamics: An Introduction, 3rd ed. Berlin: Springer, 2009.

Downloads

Publicado

25-06-2019

Edição

v. 7 n. 2B (Suppl.) (2019)

Seção

XX Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Physics and Thermal Hydraulics (XX ENFIR)

Licença

Direitos autorais (c) 2019 Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences

Creative Commons License

Este trabalho está licenciado sob uma licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Declaro que o presente artigo é original, não tendo sido submetido à publicação em qualquer outro periódico nacional ou internacional, quer seja em parte ou em sua totalidade. Declaro, ainda, que uma vez publicado na revista Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, editada pela Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, o mesmo jamais será submetido por mim ou por qualquer um dos demais co-autores a qualquer outro periódico. Através deste instrumento, em meu nome e em nome dos demais co-autores, porventura existentes, cedo os direitos autorais do referido artigo à Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, que está autorizada a publicá-lo em meio impresso, digital, ou outro existente, sem retribuição financeira para os autores.

Licença
Os artigos do BJRS são licenciados sob uma Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0 Licença Internacional, que permite o uso, compartilhamento, adaptação, distribuição e reprodução em qualquer meio ou formato, desde que você dê o devido crédito ao (s) autor (es) original (is) e à fonte, forneça um link para a licença Creative Commons, e indique se mudanças foram feitas. As imagens ou outro material de terceiros neste artigo estão incluídos na licença Creative Commons do artigo, a menos que indicado de outra forma em uma linha de crédito para o material. Se o material não estiver incluído no licença Creative Commons do artigo e seu uso pretendido não é permitido por regulamentação legal ou excede o uso permitido, você precisará obter permissão diretamente do detentor dos direitos autorais. Para visualizar uma cópia desta licença, visite http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Como Citar

Simplified CFD model of coolant channels typical of a plate-type fuel element: an exhaustive verification of the simulations. Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, v. 7, n. 2B (Suppl.), 2019. DOI: 10.15392/bjrs.v7i2B.621. Disponível em: https://www.bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/621. Acesso em: 20 jul. 2025.