Thermohydraulic Analysis of Coolant Entry Patterns in a High-Temperature Pebble Bed Reactor: Insights and Characterization.
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| Title: | Thermohydraulic Analysis of Coolant Entry Patterns in a High-Temperature Pebble Bed Reactor: Insights and Characterization. |
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| Authors: | Rodríguez, A. Gámez1,2 abel.rodriguez@ufpe.br, Pérez, D. Milián1,2, de Oliveira Lira, C. A. Brayner2 |
| Source: | International Journal of Thermodynamics. Jun2024, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p75-87. 13p. |
| Subjects: | Pebble bed reactors, Coolants, Porous materials, Computational fluid dynamics, Thermal shielding, Thermal neutrons |
| Abstract: | Conducting three-dimensional thermohydraulic analysis of an entire nuclear reactor poses significant challenges due to the considerable geometric volume and complex internal structures involved. The top reflector is one of the internal structures found in high-temperature pebble bed Small Modular Reactors (SMR). This structure serves several critical functions, including neutron reflection, control and distribution of helium inlet into the core, neutron and thermal shielding, among others. In this kind of system, the detailed representation of the top reflector includes the representation of more than 460 channels of 2.5cm of diameter. Considering that the reactor has almost a ten of meters then dimension scales of various orders must be represented, which is a challenge. In this sense, a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) thermohydraulic analysis of the entry pattern to the core of a High Temperature SMR using ANSYS CFX has been done. This study presents a comparison between five coolant entry patterns into the core. Initially, two prototype models of 460xØ2.5cm, one with vertical channels and another with inclined channels, are modeled. Additionally, two prototype models of 20xØ12cm of equivalent area, with vertical and inclined channels are also included. Finally, a simplified porous media model with the same equivalent area is considered. The thermohydraulic behavior of the coolant before and after passing through the top reflector was then analyzed for these five patterns. An analysis of fuel elements temperature in the core was conducted. It is important to highlight that this study is qualitative and has the goal of identifying and characterizing the impact that the coolant entry pattern into the reactor core has on the main thermohydraulic parameters in this region. The study exposes a strong correlation between the porous media model and all prototype models in terms of the maximum fuel temperature, average fuel temperature, and helium velocity. In this study, the potential applicability of the porous media models for an integral full-scale reactor simulation in the future was demonstrated. As a benefit, the porous media model reduces the mesh quantity compared to a prototypic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of International Journal of Thermodynamics is the property of International Centre for Applied Thermodynamics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 177827530 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Thermohydraulic Analysis of Coolant Entry Patterns in a High-Temperature Pebble Bed Reactor: Insights and Characterization. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rodríguez%2C+A%2E+Gámez%22">Rodríguez, A. Gámez</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><i> abel.rodriguez@ufpe.br</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pérez%2C+D%2E+Milián%22">Pérez, D. Milián</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22de+Oliveira+Lira%2C+C%2E+A%2E+Brayner%22">de Oliveira Lira, C. A. Brayner</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Thermodynamics%22">International Journal of Thermodynamics</searchLink>. Jun2024, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p75-87. 13p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pebble+bed+reactors%22">Pebble bed reactors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coolants%22">Coolants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Porous+materials%22">Porous materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computational+fluid+dynamics%22">Computational fluid dynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+shielding%22">Thermal shielding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+neutrons%22">Thermal neutrons</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Conducting three-dimensional thermohydraulic analysis of an entire nuclear reactor poses significant challenges due to the considerable geometric volume and complex internal structures involved. The top reflector is one of the internal structures found in high-temperature pebble bed Small Modular Reactors (SMR). This structure serves several critical functions, including neutron reflection, control and distribution of helium inlet into the core, neutron and thermal shielding, among others. In this kind of system, the detailed representation of the top reflector includes the representation of more than 460 channels of 2.5cm of diameter. Considering that the reactor has almost a ten of meters then dimension scales of various orders must be represented, which is a challenge. In this sense, a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) thermohydraulic analysis of the entry pattern to the core of a High Temperature SMR using ANSYS CFX has been done. This study presents a comparison between five coolant entry patterns into the core. Initially, two prototype models of 460xØ2.5cm, one with vertical channels and another with inclined channels, are modeled. Additionally, two prototype models of 20xØ12cm of equivalent area, with vertical and inclined channels are also included. Finally, a simplified porous media model with the same equivalent area is considered. The thermohydraulic behavior of the coolant before and after passing through the top reflector was then analyzed for these five patterns. An analysis of fuel elements temperature in the core was conducted. It is important to highlight that this study is qualitative and has the goal of identifying and characterizing the impact that the coolant entry pattern into the reactor core has on the main thermohydraulic parameters in this region. The study exposes a strong correlation between the porous media model and all prototype models in terms of the maximum fuel temperature, average fuel temperature, and helium velocity. In this study, the potential applicability of the porous media models for an integral full-scale reactor simulation in the future was demonstrated. As a benefit, the porous media model reduces the mesh quantity compared to a prototypic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Thermodynamics is the property of International Centre for Applied Thermodynamics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.5541/ijot.1405023 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 75 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Pebble bed reactors Type: general – SubjectFull: Coolants Type: general – SubjectFull: Porous materials Type: general – SubjectFull: Computational fluid dynamics Type: general – SubjectFull: Thermal shielding Type: general – SubjectFull: Thermal neutrons Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Thermohydraulic Analysis of Coolant Entry Patterns in a High-Temperature Pebble Bed Reactor: Insights and Characterization. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rodríguez, A. Gámez – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pérez, D. Milián – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: de Oliveira Lira, C. A. Brayner IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2024 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 13019724 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 27 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: International Journal of Thermodynamics Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
