Experimental measurements of fluid flow in an 84-pin hexagonal rod bundle with spacer grid for a gas-cooled fast modular reactor

Matozinhos, Camila Freitas; Carroll III, Alfred D.; Menezes, Craig; Vaghetto, Rodolfo; Hassan, Yassin

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2022.109014

Experimental measurements of fluid flow in an 84-pin hexagonal rod bundle with spacer grid for a gas-cooled fast modular reactor

Journal Article · Tue Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatfluidflow.2022.109014· OSTI ID:2417769

^[1]; Carroll III, Alfred D. ^[2]; Menezes, Craig ^[2]; Vaghetto, Rodolfo ^[2]; Hassan, Yassin ^[2]

Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); OSTI
Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

A 50 MW e helium-cooled fast modular reactor (FMR) is under development, and as part of the Department of Energy Integrated Research Project (IRP), Texas A&M University is conducting the thermal-hydraulic characterization of its baseline core configuration. Here, we experimentally investigated the axial and cross flow fields characteristics in the hexagonal fuel rod bundle composed of 84 rods, a central rod, and spacer grids at a Reynolds number of 12,000. A fully transparent experimental facility resembling of one unit of the fuel assembly was constructed. Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV) measurements were performed to characterize hydraulic behavior downstream the spacer grid. Velocity measurements were conducted in the axial and radial direction of the rod bundle. From the PIV velocity vector fields, the full-field flow statistics were computed for the mean velocity, vorticity, and Reynolds stresses. An analysis of the energy decay downstream of the spacer grid was conducted with calculations of secondary-flow intensities, turbulent kinetic energy, power spectrum, and spatial-temporal velocity cross correlations. The vorticity field was obtained and pairs of counter-rotating vortexes were identified using a 3D reconstruction of several measurement planes. The data from this experimental campaign will be used to validate numerical models based on Computational Fluid Dynamics and other codes.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP)

Grant/Contract Number:: NE0008652

OSTI ID:: 2417769

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1962954

Journal Information:: International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, Journal Name: International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow Journal Issue: C Vol. 97; ISSN 0142-727X

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
3D-printed bare spacer grid
Engineering
Gen IV
Mechanics
PIV uncertainty quantification
Thermodynamics
gas-cooled fast modular reactors
hexagonal rod bundle
matching of index of refraction (MIR)
particle image velocimetry (PIV)
turbulence

Experimental measurements of fluid flow in an 84-pin hexagonal rod bundle with spacer grid for a gas-cooled fast modular reactor

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