CFD investigation for a 7-pin wire-wrapped fuel assembly with different shapes of fuel duct wall. (15th June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Yuanyuan; Huang, Mei; Huang, Jiyuan; Ouyang, Xiaoping; Hou, Rongbin
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 141(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06-15
• Subjects: CFD -- Wire-wrapped assembly -- Fuel duct -- Cross flow -- Pressure drop -- Flow distribution; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2019.107272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: The structural grid is generated by the commercial grid software ICEM CFD and solved by CFX. Mesh sensitivity analysis and validation study have been conducted. Four different shapes of fuel duct are simulated. The pressure drop, cross flow, sub-channel flow distribution are obtained and discussed. Abstract: The wire-wrapped assembly could enhance the safety and the economy of the reactor, however the complex structure brings some new problems for thermal-hydraulic analysis. In this paper, the hydraulic analysis of the 7-pin wire-wrapped assembly is carried out by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The structural grid of the entire fluid domain is generated by the commercial grid software ICEM CFD and solved by CFX. Unlike most studies, this article explores the effect of assembly fuel flow by changing the shape of the fuel duct. Considering the influence of the different shapes of the fuel duct, the pressure drop, cross flow, sub-channel flow distribution are studied. Through this study, it can help to improve the flow environment of peripheral fuel rods and optimize the design of assembly.