Flow Mixing Inside a Control-Rod Guide Tube: Part I—CFD Simulations

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hernan Tinoco ◽  
Hans Lindqvist ◽  
Ylva Odemark ◽  
Carl-Maikel Ho¨gstro¨m ◽  
Kristian Angele
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Fatigue ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Flow Simulations ◽  
Cfd Models ◽  
Flow Mixing ◽  
And Control ◽  
Control Rods

Two broken control rods and a large number of rods with cracks were found at the inspection carried out during the refueling outage of the twin reactors Oskarshamn 3 and Forsmark 3 in the fall of 2008. As a part of an extensive damage investigation, time dependent CFD simulations of the flow and the heat transfer in the annular region formed by the guide tube and control rod stem were carried out, [1]. The simulations together with metallurgical and structural analyses indicated that the cracks were initiated by thermal fatigue. The knowledge assembled at this stage was sufficient to permit the restart of both reactors at the end of year 2008 conditioned to that further studies to be carried out for clarifying all remaining matters. Additionally, all control rods were inserted 14% to protect the welding region of the stem. Unfortunately, this measure led to new cracks a few months later. This matter will be explained in the second part of this work, [2]. As a part of the accomplished complementary work, new CFD models were developed in conformity with the guidelines of references [3] and [4]. The new results establish the simulation requirements needed to accomplish accurate conjugate heat transfer predictions. Those requirements are much more rigorous than the ones needed for flow simulations without heat transfer. In the present case, URANS simulations, which are less resource consuming than LES simulations, seem to rather accurately describe the mixing process occurring inside the control rod guide tube. Structure mechanics analyses based on the CFD simulations show that the cracks are initiated by thermal fatigue and that their propagation and growth are probably enhanced by mechanical vibrations.

Flow Mixing Inside a Control-Rod Guide Tube: Part II—Experimental Tests and CFD-Simulations

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Angele ◽  
Mathias Cehlin ◽  
Carl-Maikel Ho¨gstro¨m ◽  
Ylva Odemark ◽  
Mats Henriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Thermal Fluctuations ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Flow Structures ◽  
Scaling Analysis ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Control Rods

A large number of control rod cracks were detected during the refuelling outage of the twin reactors Oskarshamn 3 and Forsmark 3 in the fall of 2008. The extensive damage investigation finally lead to the restart of both reactors at the end of 2008 under the condition that further studies would be conducted in order to clarify all remaining matters. Also, all control rods were inserted 14% in order to locate the welding region of the control rod stem away from the thermal mixing region of the flow. Unfortunately, this measure led to new cracks a few months later due to a combination of surface finish of the new stems and the changed flow conditions after the partial insertion of the control rods. The experimental evidence reported here shows an increase in the extension of the mixing region and in the intensity of the thermal fluctuations. As a part of the complementary work associated with the restart of the reactors, and to verify the CFD simulations, experimental work of the flow in the annular region formed by the guide tube and control rod stem was carried out. Two full-scale setups were developed, one in a Plexiglass model at atmospheric conditions (in order to be able to visualize the mixing process) and one in a steel model to allow for a higher temperature difference and heating of the control rod guide tube. The experimental results corroborate the general information obtained through CFD simulations, namely that the mixing region between the cold crud-removal flow and warm by-pass flow is perturbed by flow structures coming from above. The process is characterized by low frequent, high amplitude temperature fluctuations. The process is basically hydrodynamic, caused by the downward transport of flow structures originated at the upper bypass inlets. The damping thermal effects through buoyancy is of secondary importance, as also the scaling analysis shows, however a slight damping of the temperature fluctuations can be seen due to natural convection due to a pre-heating of the cold crud-removal flow. The comparison between numerical and experimental results shows a rather good agreement, indicating that experiments with plant conditions are not necessary since, through the existing scaling laws and CFD-calculations, the obtained results may be extrapolated to plant conditions. The problem of conjugate heat transfer has not yet been addressed experimentally since complex and difficult measurements of the heat transfer have to be carried out. This type of measurements constitutes one of the main challenges to be dealt with in the future work.

Predicting Thermal Mixing and Fatigue Inside Control Rod Guide Tubes

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Lillberg
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Fatigue ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Experimental Measurements ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Thermal Mixing ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Control Rods ◽  
Good Agreement

The cracked control rods shafts found in two Swedish NPPs were subjected to thermal fatigue due to mixing of cold purge flow with hot bypass water in the upper part of the top tube on which the control rod guide tubes rests. The interaction between the jets formed at the bypass water inlets is the main source of oscillation resulting in low frequency downward motion of hot bypass water into the cold purge flow. This ultimately causes thermal fatigue in the control rod shaft in the region below the four lower bypass water inlets. The transient analyses shown in this report were done to further investigate this oscillating phenomenon and compare to experimental measurements of water temperatures inside the control rod guide tube. The simulated results show good agreement with experimental data regarding all important variables for the estimation of thermal fatigue such as peak-to-peak temperature range, frequency of oscillation and duration of the temperature peaks. The results presented in this report show that CFD using LES methodology and the open source toolbox OpenFOAM is a viable tool for predicting complex turbulent mixing flows and thermal loads.

Flow mixing inside a control-rod guide tube – Experimental tests and CFD simulations

2011 ◽  
Vol 241 (12) ◽  
pp. 4803-4812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Angele ◽  
Ylva Odemark ◽  
Mathias Cehlin ◽  
Bengt Hemström ◽  
Carl-Maikel Högström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Flow Mixing

Effect of CRGT Cooling on Modes of Global Vessel Failure of a BWR Lower Head

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Villanueva ◽  
Chi-Thanh Tran ◽  
Pavel Kudinov
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Vessel Wall ◽  
Reactor Vessel ◽  
Creep Model ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Mechanical Loads ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Melt Pool ◽  
Creep Analysis ◽  
Lower Head

An in-vessel stage of a severe core melt accident in a Nordic type Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is considered wherein a decay-heated pool of corium melt inflicts thermal and mechanical loads on the lower-head vessel wall. This process induces creep leading to a mechanical failure of the reactor vessel wall. The focus of this study is to investigate the effect of Control Rod Guide Tube (CRGT) and top cooling on the modes of global vessel failure of the lower head. A coupled thermo-mechanical creep analysis of the lower head is performed and cases with and without CRGT and top cooling are compared. The debris bed heat-up, re-melting, melt pool formation, and heat transfer are calculated using the Phase-change Effective Convectivity Model and transient heat transfer characteristics are provided for thermo-mechanical strength calculations. The creep analysis is performed with the modified time hardening creep model and both thermal and integral mechanical loads on the reactor vessel wall are taken into account. Known material properties of the reactor vessel as a function of temperature, including the creep curves, are used as an input data for the creep analysis. It is found that a global vessel failure is imminent regardless of activation of CRGT and top cooling. However, if CRGT and top cooling is activated, the mode and timing of failure is different compared to the case with no CRGT and top cooling. More specifically, with CRGT and top cooling, there are two modes of global vessel failure depending on the size of the melt pool: (a) ‘ballooning’ of the vessel bottom for smaller pools, and (b) ‘localized creep’ concentrated within the vicinity of the top surface of the melt pool for larger pools. Without CRGT and top cooling, only a ballooning mode of global vessel failure is observed. Furthermore, a considerable delay (about 1.4 h) on the global vessel failure is observed for the roughly 30-ton debris case if CRGT and top cooling is implemented. For a much larger pool (roughly 200-ton debris), no significant delay on the global vessel failure is observed when CRGT and top cooling is implemented, however, the liquid melt fraction and melt superheat are considerably higher in non-cooling case.

Impact of control rod insertion during burnup on PWR fuel assembly isotopic composition

Kerntechnik ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-181
Author(s):  
R. M. Refeat ◽  
H. K. Louis
Keyword(s):  
Safety Analysis ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Reactor Operation ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
And Control ◽  
Criticality Analysis ◽  
Control Rods ◽  
Criticality Safety

Abstract Criticality analysis of spent fuel assumes that the fuel material is unburned which means that it is in its most reactive condition. In fact, this is not the real situation for fuel as it is burned during reactor operation causing reduction in the reactivity. Considering the reduction in reactivity during spent fuel calculations is the Burn-up Credit concept (BUC). In addition, the control rods radial and axial positions have an effect on the reactivity which can be considered in the criticality safety analysis. This paper studies the effect of burnup and control rods (CRs) movement on reactivity and isotopes inventory. Calculations are carried out in two phases, first kinf is calculated for different burnup profiles with control rods are either fully withdrawn or fully inserted. In the second phase keff is calculated for different control rods insertion levels. For both phases, burnup calculations are performed for a UO2 assembly then multiplication factor calculations of burned UO2 assemblies in cold state are done. The burnup calculations are performed using MCNP6 code and ENDF/B-VII library for different burnup levels up to 45 GWd/tU. The results obtained can be taken in consideration in criticality safety analysis performed for the spent fuel to improve the economic efficiency for manufacture, storage and transportation of fissile materials.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Flow-Mixing and Heat Transfer in 4 × 4 Rod Bundle With a Twist-Vane Spacer Grid

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Lal Kumawat ◽  
Anuj Kumar Kansal ◽  
Naresh Kumar Maheshwari ◽  
Avaneesh Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Atomic Energy ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Fuel Rod ◽  
Rod Bundle ◽  
Flow Mixing ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd

The clearance between fuel rods is maintained by spacer grid or helical wire wrap. Thermal-hydraulic characteristics inside fuel rod bundle are strongly influenced by the spacer grid geometry and the bundle pitch-to-diameter (P/D) ratio. This includes the maximum fuel temperature, critical heat flux, as well as pressure drop through the fuel bundle. An understanding of the detailed structure of flow mixing and heat transfer in a fuel rod bundle geometry is therefore an important aspect of reactor core design, both in terms of the reactor's safe and reliable operation, and with regard to optimum power extraction. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed to investigate isothermal turbulent flow mixing and heat transfer behavior in 4 × 4 rod bundle with twist-vane spacer grid with P/D ratio of 1.35. This work is carried out under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) co-ordinated research project titled as “Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Codes for Nuclear Power Plant Design.” CFD simulations are performed using open source CFD code OpenFOAM. Numerical results are compared with experimental data from Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and found to be in good agreement.

scholarly journals Development and Application of MCNP5 and KENO-VI Monte Carlo Models for the Atucha-2 PHWR Analysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pecchia ◽  
C. Parisi ◽  
F. D'Auria ◽  
O. Mazzantini
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
3D Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Control Rod ◽  
Geometrical Complexity ◽  
Reactor Criticality ◽  
Reactor Cell ◽  
And Control ◽  
Control Rods

The geometrical complexity and the peculiarities of Atucha-2 PHWR require the adoption of advanced Monte Carlo codes for performing realistic neutronic simulations. Core models of Atucha-2 PHWR were developed using both MCNP5 and KENO-VI codes. The developed models were applied for calculating reactor criticality states at beginning of life, reactor cell constants, and control rods volumes. The last two applications were relevant for performing successive three dimensional neutron kinetic analyses since it was necessary to correctly evaluate the effect of each oblique control rod in each cell discretizing the reactor. These corrective factors were then applied to the cell cross sections calculated by the two-dimensional deterministic lattice physics code HELIOS. These results were implemented in the RELAP-3D model to perform safety analyses for the licensing process.

Air-Side Performance Characterization of Air-to-Refrigerant Heat Exchangers Using Parallel Parameterized CFD

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled Saleh ◽  
Weizhe Han ◽  
Vikrant Aute ◽  
Reinhard Radermacher
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Cfd Models ◽  
F Factor ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Friction Performance

The goal of the study presented in this paper is to use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to characterize the heat transfer and friction performance of fins used in air-to-refrigerant heat exchangers. Five different types of fins used in air-cooled heat exchangers (HXs) are studied using Parallel Parameterized CFD (PPCFD) approach described in this paper. The fin types considered in this paper are; Plain, Wavy, Slit, Super Slit, and Louver. 3-D CFD models are built and tested for these fin types. Based on the CFD results, air side heat transfer coefficient (HTC), Colburn j factor, Fanning f factor, and pressure drop are calculated. The results from CFD simulations are compared against experimental data from the literature for the different fin types and a good agreement is found between the two. In addition, the results from CFD simulations are used to evaluate the thermal and hydraulic performance for a wide range of heat exchanger parameters such as tube diameters, fin pitch, number of rows, and frontal air velocity. The results show the advantages of using PPCFD to efficiently develop correlations for different types of fins used in air-cooled HX, with significant reduction in engineering time. The PPCFD approach can be extended to efficiently optimize novel heat transfer surfaces.

scholarly journals CFD Simulation of an Industrial Spiral Refrigeration System

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3358
Author(s):  
A. Khenien ◽  
A. Benattayallah ◽  
G. Tabor
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Experimental Data ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Conduction Model ◽  
Cfd Models ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Mri Scans ◽  
Good Agreement

In the food industry, heating and cooling are key processes where CFD can play an important role in improving quality, productivity and reducing energy costs. Cooling products after baking is crucial for storage and transportation; the product has to be cooled efficiently to a specified temperature (often to fulfill regulatory requirements) whilst preserving its quality. This study involves the analysis of spiral cooling refrigerators used in cooling food products, in this case, Cornish Pasties. Three separate sets of CFD models were developed and validated against experimental data taken in the laboratory and measurements taken in use in industry. In the first set of models a full CFD model was developed of a refrigeration spiral including the pasties, and used to study the heat transfer from the products to the air. Further simulations were carried out on individual pasties to explore the pasty cooling and heat transfer to the air in more detail, with the pasty geometry being determined from MRI scans. In the final set of simulations, Image Based Meshing (IBM) was used to determine the interior structure of the pasty and develop a full heat conduction model of the interior, which was compared with separate laboratory experiments using jets of cold air to cool the pasty. In all cases, good agreement was obtained between the CFD results and experimental data, whilst the CFD simulations provide valuable information about the air flows and cooling in the industrial system.

scholarly journals NEW REFERENCE APOLLO3® CALCULATION SCHEME FOR LIGHT WATER REACTORS – ANALYSIS OF THE BEAVRS BENCHMARK

2021 ◽  
Vol 247 ◽  
pp. 06031
Author(s):  
Jean-François Vidal ◽  
K. Frölicher ◽  
P. Archier ◽  
A. Hébert ◽  
L. Buiron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Calculation Scheme ◽  
Guide Tube ◽  
Light Water Reactors ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
The Past ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Standard Calculation ◽  
And Control ◽  
Control Rods

In the past few years, developments in the APOLLO3® deterministic code have mainly been devoted to Fast Reactor applications. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of using some of these methods to build an accurate two-step calculation scheme for commercial Pressurized Water Reactors, with application to the BEAVRS benchmark at hot zero power conditions of cycle 1. Our objective is to assess the performances of the best “standard” calculation currently possible with APOLLO3® and to have a starting point for the development of improved transport solvers and innovative calculation schemes. At the lattice level, we show that the subgroup method using the REL383 energy mesh, associated with a MOC flux calculation, provides accurate results on different clusters of 3x3 cells with UOX and MOX fuel, including a heterogeneity at the center (guide-tube full of water or with common absorbers Ag-In-Cd or B4C inserted, and mixed uranium-gadolinium oxide fuel). These good results have been confirmed on BEAVRS assembly, rods in and rods out. At the core level, 20-group 3D calculations with the MINARET Sn solver have been performed at the cell level to analyze BEAVRS Hot Zero Power results (reactivity, power map, and control rods worths). Results are rather satisfactory, considering the low computing cost, but the power map prediction needs to be improved.

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