Intra-assembly flow redistribution in LMFBRs: a simple computational approach

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5867855

Khatib-Rahbar, M; Cazzoli, E G

The liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) core consists of fuel, blanket, control, and shielding assemblies packed in a hexagonal configuration. Radial blanket assemblies occupy peripheral locations in the reactor core and are characterized by steep power gradients, while inner blanket assemblies are located within the fuel assembly region and have higher power levels but flatter distributions. It is due to the presence of this radial power gradient that large sodium temperature distributions exist at full power operation. However, at low power, low flow natural convection conditions, a significant flow redistribution takes place leading to considerable radial temperature flattening. The purpose of the present study is to formulate a simple flow-regime dependent model supported by experimental data for prediction of sodium temperature flattening due to buoyancy-induced flow redistribution in LMFBR subassemblies with significant radial power gradient.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5867855
• Report Number(s): BNL-NUREG-33320; CONF-831047-54; ON: DE83015337
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
BREEDER REACTORS
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
HEAT TRANSFER
HOT CHANNEL FACTOR
HYDRAULICS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
NATURAL CONVECTION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS