TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of thermo-hydraulic performances of large scale vortex flow (LSVF) and small scale vortex flow (SSVF) mixing vanes in 17 × 17 nuclear rod bundle
AU - Lee, C. M.
AU - Choi, Y. D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (Grant No. R-2002-0234). The authors would like to acknowledge the support from KISTI (Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information) under “The Seventh Strategic Supercomputing Support Program” with Dr. Sang-min Lee as the technical supporter. The use of the computing system of the Supercomputing Center is also greatly appreciated.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - Spacer grids in the nuclear fuel rod assembly maintain a constant distance between rods, secure flow passage and prevent the damage of the rod bundle from flow-induced vibration. The mixing vanes attached to the spacer grids generate vortex flows in the subchannels and enhance the heat transfer performance of the rod bundle. Various types of mixing vanes have been developed to produce cross flows between subchannels as well as vortex flows in the subchannels. The shapes of the mixing vane have been improved to generate larger turbulence and cross flow mixing. In the present study, two types of large scale vortex flow (LSVF) mixing vanes and two types of small scale vortex flow (SSVF) mixing vanes are examined. SSVF-single is conventional split type and SSVF-couple is split type with different arraying method. LSVF mixing vane has different geometry and arraying method to make large scale vortex. 17 × 17 rod bundle with eight spans of mixing vanes is simulated using the IBM 690 supercomputer. The FLUENT code and IBM supercomputer is employed to calculate the flow field and heat transfer in the subchannels. Turbulence intensities, maximum surface temperatures of the rod bundle, heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of the four kinds of mixing vanes are compared. LSVF mixing vanes produced higher turbulence intensity and heat transfer coefficient than SSVF mixing vanes. Consequently, LSVF mixing vane increases the thermal efficiency and safety of the rod bundle.
AB - Spacer grids in the nuclear fuel rod assembly maintain a constant distance between rods, secure flow passage and prevent the damage of the rod bundle from flow-induced vibration. The mixing vanes attached to the spacer grids generate vortex flows in the subchannels and enhance the heat transfer performance of the rod bundle. Various types of mixing vanes have been developed to produce cross flows between subchannels as well as vortex flows in the subchannels. The shapes of the mixing vane have been improved to generate larger turbulence and cross flow mixing. In the present study, two types of large scale vortex flow (LSVF) mixing vanes and two types of small scale vortex flow (SSVF) mixing vanes are examined. SSVF-single is conventional split type and SSVF-couple is split type with different arraying method. LSVF mixing vane has different geometry and arraying method to make large scale vortex. 17 × 17 rod bundle with eight spans of mixing vanes is simulated using the IBM 690 supercomputer. The FLUENT code and IBM supercomputer is employed to calculate the flow field and heat transfer in the subchannels. Turbulence intensities, maximum surface temperatures of the rod bundle, heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of the four kinds of mixing vanes are compared. LSVF mixing vanes produced higher turbulence intensity and heat transfer coefficient than SSVF mixing vanes. Consequently, LSVF mixing vane increases the thermal efficiency and safety of the rod bundle.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36349023340&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2007.04.011
DO - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2007.04.011
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:36349023340
SN - 0029-5493
VL - 237
SP - 2322
EP - 2331
JO - Nuclear Engineering and Design
JF - Nuclear Engineering and Design
IS - 24
ER -