EDN: QJVSVD
Authors & Affiliations
Sorokin A.P.1, Sorokin G.A.2, Kuzina Yu.A.1, Zueva I.R.1, Denisova N.A.1
1 A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk, Russia
2 Research University “Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology”, Moscow, Russia
Sorokin A.P.1 – Doctor of Engineering, Chief Researcher, Dr. Sci. (Tech.). Contacts: 1, pl. Bondarenko, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249033. Tel.: +7 (484) 399-70-00 (add. 84-47); e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Kuzina Yu.A.1 – Head of Department of Nuclear Power Engineering, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Zueva I.R.1 – Deputy Head of the Nuclear Power Engineering Department.
Denisova N.A.1 – Lead Engineer.
Sorokin G.A.2 – Associate Professor, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Abstract
The article presents the results of experimental and numerical modeling of heat transfer and interchannel instability during boiling of liquid metal in a circuit with a system of parallel fuel assemblies with natural convection as applied to decay heat removal of fast neutron reactors
The paper describes a high-temperature experimental setup that includes lifting sections with model fuel assemblies of fuel rod simulators with a common lowering section with a refrigerator, the methodology and issues of modeling experiments. The paper presents the results of experimental studies of hydrodynamics and heat exchange during boiling of a eutectic sodium-potassium alloy in single and a system of two parallel fuel assemblies in a circuit with natural circulation with an increase in energy release in the fuel assemblies.
Numerical modeling of the process of boiling of liquid metal in a single fuel assembly and a system of parallel fuel assemblies is carried out in a multidimensional channel approximation within the framework of a two-liquid model of a two-phase flow of liquid metal in the approximation of equal pressures in the vapor and liquid phases.
The paper presents a description of the developed calculation model and SAT code and the results of their validation. The paper presents the results of experimental and calculation studies of the velocity (flow) fields of the coolant in the fuel assembly and the system of parallel fuel assemblies during boiling of the coolant in the fuel assembly in decay heat removal with natural crownvection, as well as data on heat transfer and a cartogram of the flow regimes of a two-phase flow in the fuel assembly.
It is shown that the transition from the bubble mode to the developed slug mode is characterized by fluctuations in flow rate, as well as other high-amplitude thermal-hydraulic parameters with a period of 20 to 40 s, which are superimposed by fluctuations in parameters with a period of 150 to 200 s, as well as fluctuations in parameters with a low amplitude and a period of 3–5 seconds.
The occurrence of an oscillatory process during boiling of the coolant in one of the parallel fuel assemblies leads to an antiphase oscillatory process in the other fuel assemblies, and subsequently the oscillations of the parameters in different circuits are antiphase. The hydrodynamic interaction of the circuits leads to a significant increase in the amplitude of oscillations of the coolant flow in them (“resonance” of flow pulsations) and possible “locking” or inversion of the coolant flow in the circuits, to an increase in the temperature of the coolant and the cladding of the fuel elements (the effect of interchannel instability) and the occurrence of a heat exchange crisis.
Keywords
scientific school, nuclear reactors, water, liquid metals, experiment, calculation codes, hydrodynamics, heat fast neutron reactor, fuel assembly of fuel elements, heat exchange, parallel channels, circulation stability, numerical modeling, channel model, interchannel instability, heat transfer, cartogram of flow regimes of a two-phase flow
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
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