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Thermomechanical analysis and modeling of involute-shaped fuel plates using the Cheverton–Kelley experiments for the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Journal Article · · Nuclear Engineering and Design

Three research reactors with involute-shaped fuel plates are pursuing conversion from highly enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium fuel. Various core design and safety evaluation studies are essential to assess the feasibility of the conversion. The use of 3D computational multiphysics codes is being explored in these analyses and therefore they must undergo a thorough evaluation and quality assurance process due to their potential impact on nuclear safety. Here, the Cheverton and Kelley physical tests performed in the late 1960s to investigate the deflections of HFIR’s outer plate under uniform pressure and temperature fields are simulated by employing commercially available computational codes, with the goals to (1) verify and validate the models and numerical solvers implemented in the codes for thermomechanical analysis of involute reactor plates and (2) to develop a benchmark computational test to evaluate future versions of existing software or newly developed computational codes. The results of the simulations showed good agreement with each other as well as against the Cheverton–Kelley experimental data. Some minor deviations were observed for a few multiphysics cases and their potential origins and impact on the analysis results is investigated in the paper. The validated models increase the confidence in using multiphysics codes to evaluate existing or new LEU designs.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1973360
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2345891
Journal Information:
Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 409; ISSN 0029-5493
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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