Evaluation of Single-Phase CFD Applicability to Estimate Fluid Hot Spot Locations by Comparing Water DNB Data

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuo Ikeda ◽  
Yasushi Makino ◽  
Masaya Hoshi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Generation ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Fuel Rods ◽  
Spacer Grids ◽  
Grid Design

For development of PWR spacer grids, it is necessary to confirm mechanical strength and thermal-hydraulic characteristics. Mitsubishi has applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to thermal-hydraulic design of spacer grids. To satisfy the requirement of high thermal performance spacer grid, the compatibility of low-pressure loss and high Critical Heat Flux (CHF) performance is necessary; therefore, parametric CFD analyses have been carried out for new spacer grid designs. Related to spacer grid design, i.e., strap structures and mixing vane, the parametric analyses have been carried out to estimate pressure-loss of each spacer grid. Moreover, thermal analyses, where heat generation from fuel rods was taken into account, have been carried out to evaluate coolant mixing capability, which is assumed to relate the CHF performance, by comparing fluid peak temperature of each grid design. In our previous study (ICONE11-36087), the rod type Laser Doppler Velocimetry (rod LDV) and Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) technique were applied to cross-flow and axial flow measurements in rod gaps and sub-channels to obtain reference data for verification of CFD estimation. Estimated velocity fields at the downstream of the grid were quantitatively compared with the measurements. As a result, it was confirmed that the CFD modeling estimated flow behavior in the rod bundle appropriately. In this study, CFD under single-phase condition, which took into account heat generation from rods, was performed to simulate flow conditions of water DNB test with the same design grid of the previous study. The correlation between estimated enthalpy distribution around fuel rods by the CFD and the CHF rods in the DNB test was examined. This study was performed in collaboration with Westinghouse Electric Company and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Numerical Flow Simulation of Spacer Grids With Mixing Vanes in a 5 × 5 PWR Rod Bundle

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moyse´s Alberto Navarro ◽  
Andre´ Augusto Campagnole dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Considerable Increase ◽  
Local Heat Transfer ◽  
Local Heat ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Spacer Grids ◽  
Rod Bundle ◽  
Vane Angle

The spacer grids exert great influence on the thermal hydraulic performance of the PWR fuel assembly. The presence of the spacers has two antagonistic effects on the core: an increase of pressure drop due to constriction on the coolant flow area and increase of the local heat transfer downstream the grids caused by enhanced coolant mixing. The mixing vanes, present in most of the spacer grid designs, cause a cross and swirl flow between and in the subchannels, enhancing even more the local heat transfer at the cost of more pressure loss. Due to this important hydrodynamic feature the spacer grids are often improved aiming to obtain an optimal commitment between pressure drop and enhanced heat transfer. In the present work, the fluid dynamic performance downstream a 5 × 5 rod bundle with spacer grids is analyzed with a commercial CFD code (CFX 11.0). Eleven different split vane spacer grids with angles from 16° to 36° and a spacer without vanes were evaluated. The computational domain extends from ∼10 Dh upstream to ∼50 Dh downstream the spacer grids. The standard k-ε turbulence model with scalable wall functions and the total energy model were used in the simulations. The results show a considerable increase of the average Nusselt number and secondary mixing with the angle of the vane up to ∼20 Dh downstream the spacer, reducing greatly the influence of the vane angle beyond this region. As expected, the pressure loss through the spacer grid also showed considerable increase with the vane angle.

Experimental Study of Two Phase Flow Behavior Past BWR Spacer Grids

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruwan K. Ratnayake ◽  
L. E. Hochreiter ◽  
K. N. Ivanov ◽  
J. M. Cimbala
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Critical Heat Flux ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Spacer Grids

Performance of best estimate codes used in the nuclear industry can be significantly improved by reducing the empiricism embedded in their constitutive models. Spacer grids have been found to have an important impact on the maximum allowable Critical Heat Flux within the fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor core. Therefore, incorporation of suitable spacer grids models can improve the critical heat flux prediction capability of best estimate codes. Realistic modeling of entrainment behavior of spacer grids requires understanding the different mechanisms that are involved. Since visual information pertaining to the entrainment behavior of spacer grids cannot possibly be obtained from operating nuclear reactors, experiments have to be designed and conducted for this specific purpose. Most of the spacer grid experiments available in literature have been designed in view of obtaining quantitative data for the purpose of developing or modifying empirical formulations for heat transfer, critical heat flux or pressure drop. Very few experiments have been designed to provide fundamental information which can be used to understand spacer grid effects and phenomena involved in two phase flow. Air-water experiments were conducted to obtain visual information on the two-phase flow behavior both upstream and downstream of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) spacer grids. The test section was designed and constructed using prototypic dimensions such as the channel cross-section, rod diameter and other spacer grid configurations of a typical BWR fuel assembly. The test section models the flow behavior in two adjacent sub channels in the BWR core. A portion of a prototypic BWR spacer grid accounting for two adjacent channels was used with industrial mild steel rods for the purpose of representing the channel internals. Symmetry was preserved in this practice, so that the channel walls could effectively be considered as the channel boundaries. Thin films were established on the rod surfaces by injecting water through a set of perforations at the bottom ends of the rods, ensuring that the flow upstream of the bottom-most spacer grid is predominantly annular. The flow conditions were regulated such that they represent typical BWR operating conditions. Photographs taken during experiments show that the film entrainment increases significantly at the spacer grids, since the points of contact between the rods and the grids result in a peeling off of large portions of the liquid film from the rod surfaces. Decreasing the water flow resulted in eventual drying out, beginning at positions immediately upstream of the spacer grids.

Investigation Into the Influence of Fuel Rods on the Anti-Seismic Mechanical Characteristics of Fuel Assembly Spacer Grid by FEM Method

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingya Sun ◽  
Yu Dang ◽  
Song Liu ◽  
Jiazheng Liu ◽  
Libing Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Assembly ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Fuel Rods ◽  
Fem Model ◽  
Spacer Grids ◽  
Fuel Rod ◽  
Fem Method ◽  
Crush Strength

The anti-seismic performance of fuel assembly is mainly determined by the critical crush load and the stiffness of spacer grids. To comprehensive know about the influence of fuel rods on the spacer grid, a 5×5 spacer grid FEM model which including fuel rods is established. Basing the fact that the grid spring has remarkable influence on the grid crush strength which is found in experiment, some cases are carried out, which are used to analyze effects of grid with/without fuel rod, friction between the grid spring/dimple and the fuel rod, the deflection of grid spring on the static buckling strength. Results show that grids with fuel rods will have higher crush strength than those without fuel rods; at certain range, increasing grid spring deflection at working point will do help to increase the grid crush strength; higher friction coefficient of grid spring and fuel rod can enhance the crush strength. Comparing with experimental results in literatures, results from simulations show the same tendency with the experimental results. The conclusion and the simulation method involved in this paper can provide some guidelines to optimize the performance of spacer grid assembly.

scholarly journals CFD Turbulence Study of PWR Spacer-Grids in a Rod Bundle

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Peña-Monferrer ◽  
J. L. Muñoz-Cobo ◽  
S. Chiva
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stability ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Spacer Grids ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Transient Nature ◽  
Rod Bundle ◽  
Wide Range

Nuclear fuel bundles include spacers essentially for mechanical stability and to influence the flow dynamics and heat transfer phenomena along the fuel rods. This work presents the analysis of the turbulence effects of a split-type and swirl-type spacer-grid geometries on single phase in a PWR (pressurized water reactor) rod bundle. Various computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations have been performed and the results validated with the experiments of the OECD/NEA-KAERI rod bundle CFD blind benchmark exercise on turbulent mixing in a rod bundle with spacers at the MATiS-H facility. Simulation of turbulent phenomena downstream of the spacer-grid presents high complexity issues; a wide range of length scales are present in the domain increasing the difficulty of defining in detail the transient nature of turbulent flow with ordinary turbulence models. This paper contains a complete description of the procedure to obtain a validated CFD model for the simulation of the spacer-grids. Calculations were performed with the commercial code ANSYS CFX using large eddy simulation (LES) turbulence model and the CFD modeling procedure validated by comparison with measurements to determine their suitability in the prediction of the turbulence phenomena.

scholarly journals Research on the viscosity of stabilized emulsions in different pipe diameters using pressure drop and phase inversion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Plasencia ◽  
Nathanael Inkson ◽  
Ole Jørgen Nydal
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Turbulent Viscosity ◽  
Relative Viscosity ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Water Fraction ◽  
Water Fractions ◽  
Oil Emulsions ◽  
Mixture Velocity

AbstractThis paper reports experimental research on the flow behavior of oil-water surfactant stabilized emulsions in different pipe diameters along with theoretical and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the relative viscosity and inversion properties. The pipe flow of emulsions was studied in turbulent and laminar conditions in four pipe diameters (16, 32, 60, and 90 mm) at different mixture velocities and increasing water fractions. Salt water (3.5% NaCl w/v, pH = 7.3) and a mineral oil premixed with a lipophilic surfactant (Exxsol D80 + 0.25% v/v of Span 80) were used as the test fluids. The formation of water-in-oil emulsions was observed from low water fractions up to the inversion point. After inversion, unstable water-in-oil in water multiple emulsions were observed under different flow regimes. These regimes depend on the mixture velocity and the local water fraction of the water-in-oil emulsion. The eddy turbulent viscosity calculated using an elliptic-blending k-ε model and the relative viscosity in combination act to explain the enhanced pressure drop observed in the experiments. The inversion process occurred at a constant water fraction (90%) and was triggered by an increase of mixture velocity. No drag reduction effect was detected for the water-in-oil emulsions obtained before inversion.

Thermal regime of the lithosphere in the Canadian ShieldThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme Lithoprobe — parameters, processes, and the evolution of a continent.

2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Perry ◽  
Carmen Rosieanu ◽  
Jean-Claude Mareschal ◽  
Claude Jaupart
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flow ◽  
Heat Generation ◽  
Seismic Refraction ◽  
Surface Heat ◽  
Canadian Shield ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Seismic Velocities ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Surface Heat Flow ◽  
Mantle Heat Flow

Geothermal studies were conducted within the framework of Lithoprobe to systematically document variations of heat flow and surface heat production in the major geological provinces of the Canadian Shield. One of the main conclusions is that in the Shield the variations in surface heat flow are dominated by the crustal heat generation. Horizontal variations in mantle heat flow are too small to be resolved by heat flow measurements. Different methods constrain the mantle heat flow to be in the range of 12–18 mW·m–2. Most of the heat flow anomalies (high and low) are due to variations in crustal composition and structure. The vertical distribution of radioelements is characterized by a differentiation index (DI) that measures the ratio of the surface to the average crustal heat generation in a province. Determination of mantle temperatures requires the knowledge of both the surface heat flow and DI. Mantle temperatures increase with an increase in surface heat flow but decrease with an increase in DI. Stabilization of the crust is achieved by crustal differentiation that results in decreasing temperatures in the lower crust. Present mantle temperatures inferred from xenolith studies and variations in mantle seismic P-wave velocity (Pn) from seismic refraction surveys are consistent with geotherms calculated from heat flow. These results emphasize that deep lithospheric temperatures do not always increase with an increase in the surface heat flow. The dense data coverage that has been achieved in the Canadian Shield allows some discrimination between temperature and composition effects on seismic velocities in the lithospheric mantle.

scholarly journals Effect of the Flame Dome Depth and Improvement of the Pressure Loss in the Dump Diffuser

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinji Honami ◽  
Wataru Tsuboi ◽  
Takaaki Shizawa
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Profile ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Sudden Expansion ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Stress Profiles

This paper presents the effect of flame dome depth on the total pressure performance and flow behavior in a sudden expansion region of the combustor diffuser without flow entering the dome head. The mean velocity and turbulent Reynolds stress profiles in the sudden expansion region were measured by a Laser Doppler Velocitmetry (LDV) system. The experiments show that total pressure loss is increased, when flame dome depth is increased. Installation of an inclined combuster wall in the sudden expansion region is suggested from the viewpoint of a control of the reattaching flow. The inclined combustor wall is found to be effective in improvement of the diffuser performance. Better characteristics of the flow rate distribution into the branched channels are obtained in the inclined wall configuration, even if the distorted velocity profile is provided at the diffuser inlet.

An Experimental Study of Mist/Air Film Cooling With Fan-Shaped Holes on an Extended Flat Plate—Part II: Two-Phase Flow Measurements and Droplet Dynamics

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reda Ragab ◽  
Ting Wang
Keyword(s):  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Data Rate ◽  
Main Flow ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Droplet Dynamics ◽  
Mist Flow ◽  
Film Layer ◽  
Upper Boundary

A phase Doppler particle analyzer (PDPA) system is employed to measure the two-phase mist flow behavior including flow velocity field, droplet size distribution, droplet dynamics, and turbulence characteristics. Based on the droplet measurements made through PDPA, a projected profile describing how the air–mist coolant jet flow spreads and eventually blends into the hot main flow is prescribed for both cylindrical and fan-shaped holes. The mist film layer consists of two layers: a typical coolant film layer (cooling air containing the majority of the droplets) and a wider droplet layer containing droplets outside the film layer. Thanks to the higher inertia possessed by larger droplets (>20 μm in diameter) at the injection hole, the larger droplets tend to shoot across the coolant film layer, resulting in a wider droplet layer than the coolant film layer. The wider droplet layer boundaries are detected by measuring the droplet data rate (droplet number per second) distribution, and it is identified by a wedge-shaped enclosure prescribed by the data rate distribution curve. The coolant film layer is prescribed by its core and its upper boundary. The apex of the data rate curve, depicted by the maximum data rate, roughly indicates the core region of the coolant film layer. The upper boundary of the coolant film layer, characterized by active mixing with the main flow, is found to be close to relatively high values of local Reynolds shear stresses. With the results of PDPA measurements and the prescribed coolant film and droplet layer profiles, the heat transfer results on the wall presented in Part I are re-examined, and the fundamental mist-flow physics are analyzed. The three-dimensional (3D) droplet measurements show that the droplets injected from the fan-shaped holes tend to spread wider in lateral direction than cylinder holes and accumulate at the location where the neighboring coolant film layers meet. This flow and droplet behavior explain the higher cooling performance as well as mist-enhancement occurs between the fan-shaped cooling holes, rather than along the hole's centerline as demonstrated in the case using the cylindrical holes.

2D Natural Convection and Radiation Heat Transfer Simulations of a PWR Fuel Assembly Within a Constant Temperature Support Structure

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo E. Araya Go´mez ◽  
Miles Greiner
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Natural Convection ◽  
Fuel Assembly ◽  
Heat Generation ◽  
Temperature Difference ◽  
Wall Temperature ◽  
Radiation Heat Transfer ◽  
Radiation Heat ◽  
Fuel Rods ◽  
Water Reactor

Two-dimensional simulations of steady natural convection and radiation heat transfer for a 14×14 pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel assembly within a square basket tube of a typical transport package were conducted using a commercial computational fluid dynamics package. The assembly is composed of 176 heat generating fuel rods and 5 larger guide tubes. The maximum cladding temperature was determined for a range of assembly heat generation rates and uniform basket wall temperatures, with both helium and nitrogen backfill gases. The results are compared with those from earlier simulations of a 7×7 boiling water reactor (BWR). Natural convection/radiation simulations exhibited measurably lower cladding temperatures only when nitrogen is the backfill gas and the wall temperature is below 100°C. The reduction in temperature is larger for the PWR assembly than it was for the BWR. For nitrogen backfill, a ten percent increase in the cladding emissivity (whose value is not well characterized) causes a 4.7% reduction in the maximum cladding to wall temperature difference in the PWR, compared to 4.3% in the BWR at a basket wall temperature of 400°C. Helium backfill exhibits reductions of 2.8% and 3.1% for PWR and BWR respectively. Simulations were performed in which each guide tube was replaced with four heat generating fuel rods, to give a homogeneous array. They show that the maximum cladding to wall temperature difference versus total heat generation within the assembly is not sensitive to this geometric variation.

Simulation of Spouted Bed Using a Eulerian Multiphase Model

2005 ◽  
Vol 498-499 ◽  
pp. 270-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Roberto Duarte ◽  
Valéria V. Murata ◽  
Marcos A.S. Barrozo
Keyword(s):  
Control Volume ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Gas Flows ◽  
Present Calculation ◽  
Multiphase Model ◽  
Spouted Bed ◽  
Particle Coating ◽  
Spouted Beds ◽  
Good Agreement

Spouted bed systems have emerged as very efficient fluid-particle contactors and find many applications in the chemical and biochemical industry. Some important applications of spouted beds include coal combustion, biochemical reactions, drying of solids, drying of solutions and suspensions, granulation, blending, grinding, and particle coating. An extensive overview can be found in Mathur and Epstein[1]. The pattern of solid and gas flows in a spouted bed was numerically simulated using a CFD modeling technique. The Eulerian-Eulerian multifluid modeling approach was applied to predict gas-solid flow behavior. A commercially available, control-volume-based code FLUENT 6.1 was chosen to carry out the computer simulations. In order to reduce computational times and required system resources, the 2D axisymmetric segregated solver was chosen. The typical flow pattern of the spouted bed was obtained in the present calculation. The simulated velocity and voidage profiles presented a good agreement qualitative and quantitative with the experimental results obtained by He et al. [4].

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