CFD analysis of a solid pin-fueled small modular fluoride salt-cooled reactor

Journal Article · 23 December 2021 · Nuclear Engineering and Design

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111612 · OSTI ID:1977506

Chandrasekaran, Sriram ^[1]; Garimella, Srinivas ^[2]

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1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); OSTI
2. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study is performed for the pre-conceptual solid pin-fueled small modular fluoride salt-cooled reactor developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The solid and fluid regions in a 1/12th section of a fuel assembly are modeled. The solid region includes fuel and non-fuel pins, with heat generation in the active region of the fuel pins. Two different power profiles, uniform and center-peaked, are considered. The FLiBe coolant flows from the bottom to the top of the core, parallel to the bank of fuel and non-fuel pins. The k-ω shear-stress transport (SST) model is chosen as the baseline turbulence model. The effects of grid refinement, inlet turbulence specification, and turbulence models on the temperature and pressure drop predictions are studied. Turbulence model sensitivity is investigated by comparing the results from the k-ω SST model with other two-equation models (k-ω baseline or BSL and k-ε realizable) as well as with anisotropic Reynolds stress transport models (linear pressure-strain and stress-BSL). Here the results show that the choice of turbulence model has a significant impact on the pin temperature and bundle pressure drop predictions. The results from the baseline turbulence model show good agreement between the fuel pin temperatures and bundle pressure drop values predicted using a subchannel model previously developed by the authors of the present study.

• Research Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: NE0008748
• OSTI ID: 1977506
• Journal Information: Nuclear Engineering and Design, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Design Journal Issue: C Vol. 387; ISSN 0029-5493
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English