Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Coolant Tracts in High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Nuclear Reactor

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2018-09, Vol.124 (5), p.302-308
• Main Authors: Solonin, V. I., Satin, A. A., Dunaitsev, A. A., Krapivtsev, V. G., Markov, P. V., Getya, S. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: BRAYTON CYCLE; Computational fluid dynamics; COOLANT LOOPS; COOLANTS; Cooling; Distributing; DISTRIBUTION; Energy industry; Flow distribution; Fluid flow; FUEL PINS; GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; Hadrons; Heat transfer; Heavy Ions; High temperature; High temperature gas cooled reactors; High temperature gases; HYDRAULICS; HYDRODYNAMICS; Manifolds (mathematics); MASS TRANSFER; Mathematical models; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; REACTORS; SIMULATION; TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION; Temperature effects; Three dimensional models; VALIDATION; Velocity; Velocity distribution; Wire winding
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-018-0414-5

A validation of the hydrodynamic characteristics of the coolant loop of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor at low power in a power-generating facility using a turbo-machine conversion in a Brayton cycle is given. The validation is accomplished using diagnostics of models of a coolant loop, numerical modeling of the hydrodynamics, heat-and-mass transfer in models with more accurate three-dimensional CFD codes. Relations for ensuring tangential uniformity of the coolant velocity distribution near the core shell and at the entry into the distributing manifold are obtained. A distributing manifold geometry securing a uniform coolant flow distribution over core cooling tracts at low hydraulic resistance is proposed. Data are obtained on the velocity and temperature distributions in fuel pins spaced by a wire winding.