Numerical Study of Turbulent Convective in Upward Flows of Supercritical Water in the Triangular Lattice Fuel Rod Bundle

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Modirshanechi ◽  
Kamel Hooman ◽  
Iman Ashtiani Abdi ◽  
Pourya Forooghi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Turbulent Boundary Layer ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Supercritical Water ◽  
Triangular Lattice ◽  
Rod Bundles ◽  
Fuel Rod ◽  
Thermo Physical Properties

Convection heat transfer in upward flows of supercritical water in triangular tight fuel rod bundles is numerically investigated by using the commercial CFD code, ANSYS Fluent© 14.5. The fuel rod with an inner diameter of 7.6 mm and the pitch-to-diameter ratio (P/D) of 1.14 is studied for mass flux ranging between 550 and 1050 kg/m2s and heat flux of 560 kW/m2 at pressures of 25 MPa. V2F eddy viscosity turbulence model is used and, to isolate the effect of buoyancy, constant values are used for thermo-physical properties with Boussinesq approximation for the density variation with temperature in the momentum equations. The computed Nusselt number normalized by that of the same Reynolds number with no buoyancy against the buoyancy parameter proposed by Jackson and Hall’s criterion. Mentioned results are compared with V2F turbulence model whereas strong nonmonotonic variation of the thermo-physical properties as function of temperature have been applied to the commercial CFD code using user defined function (UDF) technique. A significant decrease in Nusselt number was observed in the range of 10-6<Grq/Reb3.425Prb0.8<5×10-6 before entering a serious heat transfer deterioration regime. Based on an analysis of the shear-stress distribution in the turbulent boundary layer and the significant variation of the specific heat across the turbulent boundary layer, it is found that the same mechanism that leads to impairment of turbulence production in concentric annular pipes is present in triangular lattice fuel rod bundles at supercritical pressure.

CFD Investigation of Heat Transfer in Supercritical Water-Cooled Flow Through 3×3 Fuel Rod Bundles

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Shang ◽  
Yufeng Yao
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Supercritical Water ◽  
Wall Temperature ◽  
Mass Flux ◽  
Rod Bundles ◽  
Fuel Rod ◽  
Channel Analysis ◽  
The Cross

CFD investigation of heat transfer in supercritical water-cooled flow through fuel rod bundles has been carried out, using commercial software STAR-CD 4.02 with specific ad hoc user routines for modeling physical property of supercritical water. The configuration considered is a typical core assembly of 3×3 fuel rod (round tube) bundles inside solid square box, as seen in the nuclear reactor. After priori mesh convergence studies, investigations are focused on key characteristics of flow and heat transfer performance, notably the wall temperature distributions, the mass flux and the secondary flow patterns in the cross-section. It is found that the rod wall temperature distributions exhibit highly non-uniform feature near the domain exit with very high wall temperatures: about 625°C observed on the corner rod and about 562.5°C on the border rod, respectively. It is believed that the appearance of the extremely wall temperature may be related to the non-uniform distributions of mass flux in the cross-section of the bundles as the low mass flux co-existing with the high wall temperature. Further analysis of the secondary flow in the cross-section reveals wider spectrum of vortex flow structures, more complicated than previously noted by the sub-channel analysis. To verify the influence of turbulence models on the secondary flow, both linear and non-linear k-ε models are applied and results are quite similar. This finding indicates that the cause of the secondary (cross) flow might not be solely due to the anisotropic property of turbulence as suggested by other researchers. The present 3D CFD study provides more complete database of 3×3 rod bundle flows and will be useful to improve the industry practice of applying the sub-channel analysis.

Effect of geometrical and temperature-dependence parameters on forced convection of a nanofluid in a micro-channel heat sink

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 399-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabah Nebbati ◽  
Mahfoud Kadja
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Forced Convection ◽  
Heat Sink ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Micro Channel ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thermo Physical Properties

Purpose The purpose of this study is the numerical prediction of the thermal and hydraulic characteristics (Nusselt number and shear stress) of a forced convection laminar flow through a rectangular micro-channel heat sink, using constant and temperature-dependent thermo-physical properties. The effects of the solids volume fraction and the size of the micro-channel on heat transfer enhancement have also been investigated. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the flow of a water-Al2O3 nanofluid and a single-phase approach. The equations are solved using the commercial code Fluent Version 6.3. This code uses the finite volume approach to solve the equations subject to the boundary conditions, which govern three-dimensional conjugate convection-conduction heat transfer model. The physical domain was meshed using the code GAMBIT. The mesh used is non-uniform and was obtained by sweeping in the Z direction an X-Y surface meshed with QUAD/pave type cells. Findings The results clearly show that the inclusion of nanoparticles produces a considerable increase in the heat transfer. Also, the temperature-dependent models present higher values of local and average Nusselt number than in the case of constant thermo-physical properties, and an increase in the channel dimensions leads to an important increase in heat transfer. Consequently, we ensure a better cooling of the base of the micro-channel heat sink. Research limitations/implications Because of the settling of nanoparticles, the research results may not be generalized to high values of solids volume fraction. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to find other techniques of cooling when the heat loads exceed values that cannot be dissipated using nanonofluids. Practical implications The paper includes implications for the miniaturization of electronic devices such as in microprocessors or those used in robotics and automotive industries, where continually increasing power densities are requiring more innovative techniques of heat dissipation from a small area and small coolant requirements. Originality/value This paper shows the implementation of variable property nanofluid models in CFD commercial codes.

SCWR Rod Bundle Thermal Analysis by a CFD Code

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sharabi ◽  
W. Ambrosini ◽  
N. Forgione ◽  
S. He
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Supercritical Water ◽  
Power Distribution ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Rod Bundles ◽  
Fuel Rod ◽  
Reynolds Stress Transport Model ◽  
Rod Bundle ◽  
Transfer Behavior ◽  
Water Reactors

The present paper describes the results of the application of the FLUENT code in the analysis of rod bundle configurations proposed for high pressure supercritical water reactors. The model considers a 1/8 slice of a rod bundle. The details from CFD calculations offer predictions of the circumferential clad surface temperature and of the effect of axial power distribution on the mass exchange between subchannels and on the maximum surface rod temperature. Geometry and boundary conditions are adopted from a previous work that made use of subchannel programs, allowing for a direct comparison between the two techniques. Both the standard k-ε model and the Reynolds stress transport model are used. Conclusions are drawn about the present capabilities in predicting heat transfer behavior in fuel rod bundles proposed for supercritical water reactors.

A Study on Mixed Convection Flow in a Lid-Driven Cavity Filled With Micropolar Nanofluid by Considering Brownian Motion

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Hadizade ◽  
Amin Haghighi Poshtiri
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Newtonian Fluid ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Bottom Wall ◽  
Fluid Viscosity ◽  
Driven Cavity ◽  
Micropolar Nanofluid ◽  
Thermo Physical Properties

The mixed convective heat transfer of a micropolar nanofluid in a square lid-driven cavity has been numerically studied. The lid is thermally insulated, the side walls are kept cold, and the bottom wall is kept hot with sinusoidally thermal boundary condition. The governing equations were solved by finite volume method using the SIMPLE algorithm. The effect of Grashof number (102–105), the volume fraction of nanoparticles (0.0–0.1), and micropolarity (0.0–2.0) has been investigated on the heat transfer of Al2O3–water nanofluid. Also, the variable model was used to calculate fluid viscosity and thermal conductivity coefficient of the nanofluid. The results showed that an increase in Grashof amplifies the buoyancy force and enhances the Nusselt number. Also, an increase in vortex viscosity at low Grashof numbers strengthens the forced convection and increases the Nusselt number over the bottom wall. However, at Gr = 105, the increase in vortex viscosity up to K = 1.0 leads to a decrease in the amount of heat transfer, but its further increase entails the increase in heat transfer. Although the addition of nanoparticles to the fluid improves heat transfer rate, the extent of improvement at nonzero K values is lower than that in the Newtonian fluid. The comparison of the average Nusselt number computed on the hot wall under two different states of temperature-depended thermo-physical properties and constant thermo-physical properties reveals that their difference is more significant for the Newtonian fluid especially at higher volume fraction.

Heat transfer and second law analysis of ethylene glycol based ternary hybrid nanofluid under laminar flow

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-45
Author(s):  
Lingala Sundar ◽  
Kottutu V.V. Chandra Mouli ◽  
Zafar Said ◽  
Antonio C.M. Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
Ethylene Glycol ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Friction Factor ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Hybrid Nanofluid ◽  
Pumping Power ◽  
Thermo Physical Properties

Abstract Experiments were conducted to evaluate the thermal and frictional entropy generation and exergy efficiency of rGO-Fe3O4-TiO2 hybrid nanofluid in a circular tube under laminar flow. The ternary nanoparticles are synthesized using the sol-gel technique and characterized by XRD, SEM, and FTIR. The stable ethylene glycol based ternary hybrid nanofluid were prepared and thermo-physical properties, heat transfer, friction factor, and pumping power at various particle weight concentrations (0.05% to 0.2%) and Reynolds number (211 to 2200) were investigated. Enhancement in the thermal conductivity and viscosity of 10.6% and 108.3% at ψ = 0.2% and at 60°C over the base fluid were obtained. Similarly, Nusselt number is enhanced to 17.78%; heat transfer coefficient is enhanced to 24.76%; thermal entropy generation is reduced to 19.85%; exergy efficiency enhancement of 6.23% at ψ = 0.2% and at Re = 1548 is achieved. The pressure drop, pumping power, and friction factor is augmented to 13.65%, 11.33%, and 16% at ψ = 0.2% and at Re = 221.1 over the base fluid. The overall thermal performance of the system is enhanced to 14.32%. New equations are modeled to evaluate the thermo-physical properties, Nusselt number, and friction factor.

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