TY - JOUR
T1 - Flow and heat transfer characteristics in plate-type fuel channels after formation of blisters on fuel elements
AU - Li, Linfeng
AU - Fang, Di
AU - Zhang, Dalin
AU - Wang, Mingjun
AU - Tian, Wenxi
AU - Su, Guanghui
AU - Qiu, Suizheng
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Due to the special structure, the plate-type fuel element possesses a unique failure mode, i.e. blistering. Blistering is a kind of plastic deformation, induced by thermal stress and pressure of gaseous fission products at the interface of fuel meat and cladding. A blistering cladding surface will alter the flow channel shape and thus affect the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a fuel assembly. The influence is significant because the parallel channels are closed and narrow. In this study, three plates and channels were modeled to represent parallel channels in a fuel assembly. Two kinds of blisters were considered, namely round blister and pillow-like blister. Six cases with various blistering distribution were simulated to investigate its influence on pressure drop, mass flow distribution, and fuel temperature. The turbulent model and mesh condition were carefully chosen and validated. Detailed flow structures were visualized and their relations with flow and heat transfer characteristics were analyzed. Results show that multiple blisters can induce the flow distribution factor to exceed the design threshold value. A single blister, due to the large thermal resistance of gaseous fission products, can cause a relatively high maximum temperature in the fuel plate and lead to additional structure rupture. Multiple blisters’ influence on fuel temperature is independent and similar with that of a single blister. Larger blisters lead to higher maximum fuel meat temperature and therefore are more dangerous.
AB - Due to the special structure, the plate-type fuel element possesses a unique failure mode, i.e. blistering. Blistering is a kind of plastic deformation, induced by thermal stress and pressure of gaseous fission products at the interface of fuel meat and cladding. A blistering cladding surface will alter the flow channel shape and thus affect the flow and heat transfer characteristics in a fuel assembly. The influence is significant because the parallel channels are closed and narrow. In this study, three plates and channels were modeled to represent parallel channels in a fuel assembly. Two kinds of blisters were considered, namely round blister and pillow-like blister. Six cases with various blistering distribution were simulated to investigate its influence on pressure drop, mass flow distribution, and fuel temperature. The turbulent model and mesh condition were carefully chosen and validated. Detailed flow structures were visualized and their relations with flow and heat transfer characteristics were analyzed. Results show that multiple blisters can induce the flow distribution factor to exceed the design threshold value. A single blister, due to the large thermal resistance of gaseous fission products, can cause a relatively high maximum temperature in the fuel plate and lead to additional structure rupture. Multiple blisters’ influence on fuel temperature is independent and similar with that of a single blister. Larger blisters lead to higher maximum fuel meat temperature and therefore are more dangerous.
KW - Blister
KW - Mass flow distribution
KW - Maximum fuel temperature
KW - Parallel channels
KW - Plate-type fuel assembly
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85067404233
U2 - 10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.030
DO - 10.1016/j.anucene.2019.06.030
M3 - 文章
AN - SCOPUS:85067404233
SN - 0306-4549
VL - 134
SP - 284
EP - 298
JO - Annals of Nuclear Energy
JF - Annals of Nuclear Energy
ER -