EDN: TAIHCM
Authors & Affiliations
Arestova A.A., Oleksyuk D.A.
National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, Russia
Oleksyuk D.A. – Head of Laboratory, Cand. Sci. (Tech.). Contacts: 1, pl. Akademika Kurchatova, Moscow, Russia. 123182. Tel.: +7 (916) 596-69-54; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Arestova A.A. – Engineer.
Abstract
Currently, the main tool for substantiating the thermal reliability of a nuclear reactor core is subchannel programs. They include a system of mass momentum and energy conservation equations, requiring a set of closure relations and models for such phenomena as: turbulent mixing, heat transfer, friction on the wall and others. With the development of nuclear power in Russia, the requirements for program accuracy have increased. It is possible to improve the accuracy of subchannel programs by solving a number of problems, one of which is the development and improvement of the turbulence model. This paper is devoted to the investigation of various correlations for turbulent mixing using the SC-INT subchannel program, as well as to the formation of theoretical foundations in the question of turbulent mixing in cell programs. In the study of existing correlations, a geometric parameter frequently used in foreign literature was identified and then added to the current model of turbulent mixing in the single-phase region in the program SC-INT. Calculations of coolant temperature distribution in a 37-rod bundle with spacer grids, as well as in a 108-rod model of the VVER 1000 reactor core were performed. The arithmetic means and RMS relative deviations for these two models were obtained. The obtained results indicate the possibility of further development of the model of turbulent mixing in the program SC-INT, and consequently the reduction of the error of calculation of coolant heating, which will favorably affect the calculation of engineering reserve coefficients for coolant heating. As part of further improvement of the model, it is necessary to search in more detail for the regularities allowing to make a correlation for the turbulent mixing coefficient.
Keywords
subchannel code, turbulent mixing, subchannel code SC-INT, reactor core, rod bundles, KS test facility
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
References
- Moorthi A., Sharma A.K., Velusamy K. A review of sub-channel thermal hydraulic codes for nuclear reactor core and future directions. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2018, vol. 332, pp. 329–344.
- PUCHOK-1000. Certification passport No. 415, 2017.
- IGRSP. Certification passport No. 209, 2005.
- Yang B.W., Nikotana H., Long J., Liu A., Han B. Subchannel analysis – Current practice and development for the future. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2021, vol. 385, pp. 111477.
- Kireeva D.R., Oleksyuk D.A. Validation of the SC-INT code using experimental data on coolant mixing in a 37-rod fuel assembly with heat exchange intensifying spacer grid. Proc. of the International Conference on Mathematics & Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science & Engineering M&C. Jeju, Korea, April 16–20, 2017. Available at: https://inis.iaea.org/records/nrxf9-xs922 (accessed 07.11.2025).
- Asmolov V.G., Blinkov V.N., Melikhov V.I., Melikhov O.I., Parfenov Yu.V, Emelyanov D.A., Kiselev A.E., Dolganov K.S. Current state of system thermohydraulic codes and trends in their development abroad. High Temp, 2014, vol. 52, issue 1, pp. 98–109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0018151X14010027.
- Aramova М. Development of an innovative spacer grid model utilizing computational fluid dynamics within a subchannel analysis tool. Diss. Ph.D. The Pensylvania State University, The Graduate School College of Engineering. 2007.
- Aigio Liu, Bao-Wen Yang, Bin Han & Xianlin Zhu. Turbulent Mixing Models and Other Mixing Coefficients in Subchannel Codes – Review Part A: Single Phase. Nuclear Technology, 2020, vol. 206, pp. 1253–1295.
- Zhenzhong Li, Deqi Chen, Dan Wu, Sunfang Xin, Xiang Li. Subchannel analysis of thermal-hydraulic performance in rod bundle with spacer grid considering anisotropic turbulent mixing. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2021, vol. 167, p. 107039. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2021.107039.
- Danhong Shen, Xiaojing Liu, Xu Cheng, A new turbulent mixing modeling approach for sub-channel analysis code. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2018, vol. 121, pp. 194–202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.07.023.
- Rowe D.S., Angle C.W. Cross-Flow Mixing between Parrallel Flow Channels During Boiling. Part ΙΙ. Measurement of Flow and Enthalpy in Two Parralel Channels. Washington Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Battle-Northwest, 1967.
- Eiff O.S., Lightstone M.F. On the Modelling of Single-Phase Turbulent Energy Transport in Subchannels. Proc. of the Powering Canada's future. Toronto, Ontario (Canada), June 8–11, 1997. Available at: https://inis.iaea.org/records/9mgz5-37266 (accessed 07.11.2025).
- Xiang Li, Deqi Cheng, Lian Hu. Numerical investigation on mixing performance in rod bundle with spacer grid based on anisotropic turbulent mixing model. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2019, vol. 30, pp. 843–856.
- Borisov V.D. Poperechnoe peremeshivanie teplonositelya v pychkakh sterzhney [Transverse mixing of coolant in rod bundles]. Preprint IAE-3269/5. Moscow, 1980.
- Sorokin A.P., Bogoslovskaya G.P. Methods of Thermal-Hydraulic Calculations of Fast Reactor Core Fuel Assemblies. Thermal Engineering, 1997, vol. 3, pp. 21–26.
- Beus S.G. A Two-phase turbulent mixing model for flow in rod bundles. Bettis Atimic Power Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pensylvania, 1972.
- Rogers J.T., Tahir A.E.E. Turbulent interchange Mixing in Rod Bundles and the Role of Secondary Flows. Proc. of the Heat Transfer Conference. ASME, 1975, Paper 75-HT-31.
- Janssen E. Two-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer in Multi-Rod Geometries – Final Report. GEAP-10347 AEC Research and Development Report, 1971.
- Bogoslovskaya G.P., Kirillov P.L., Zhukov A.V., Sorokin A.P., Ushakov P.A., Titov P.A. Eksperimental'nye i raschetnye issledovaniya poperechnogo turbulentnogo perenosa impul'sa i energii v kanalakh slozhnykh form [Experimental and computational studies of transverse turbulent momentum and energy transfer in channels of complex shapes]. High Temperature, 1996, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 903–908.
- Zhukov A.V., Matyukhin N.M., Sorokin A.P. Mezhkanal'nyy obmen v TVS bystrykh reaktorov (teoriya i fizika protsessa) [Interchannel Exchange in Fast Reactor Fuel Assemblies (Theory and Physics of the Process)]. Moscow, Energoatomizdat Publ., 1989.
- Sorokin A.P., Kuzina Ju.A., Denisova N.A. Gidrodinamika turbulentnykh potokov v TVS bystrykh reaktorov (pole skorosti i mikrostruktura turbulentnosti) [Hydrodinamics of Turbulent Flow in a Fast Reactor Fuel Assemblies (Velosity Field and Microstructure of Turbulence)]. Voprosy atomnoy nauki i tekhniki. Seriya: Yaderno-reaktornye konstanty – Problems of Atomic Science and Technology Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2021, no. 2, pp. 139–166.
UDC 621.039.534...23
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2025, no. 4, 4:19
