A Look at Nuclear Science and Technology Larry Foulke

Module 5.5 Energy removal from the core

Reactor Energy Removal

Constraints
Least Favorable Local Temperatures & Coolant Flows Must Be Accommodated Cant Control to Average Parameters Must Assess Worst-Case Core Conditions
Normal Operation Potential Energy Removal Degradation Transient & Accident Conditions
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Reactor Energy Removal

Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Consider Global Core Power Distributions
Fuel and Clad and Coolant Temperatures Coolant & Moderator Feedbacks

Local Element Power Density

Fuel-Pin Temperature Distribution Coolant Flow Conditions

Establish Operating Limits to Prevent Melting

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Power Distribution
Power Density
Peak-to-Average Pmax (r ) max (r ) Fmax (r ) = = = unitless, want it close to 1.0 P(r ) (r ) Power-Shaping (Peak-Reduction) Techniques
Reflector Enrichment Zoning
Example: Two Different (Higher/Lower) Homogeneous Enrichment Batches Multiple-Batch Fuel Management
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Calvert Cliffs Assembly

Inlet Temp: 560 K (~287 C) Pressure: 15 Mpa (~2235 psi) Flow Rate: 103.63 kg/s 50 axial segments of 7 cm 17,850 Thermal Regions Four control rod locations One instrument tube (center)

Image Source: See Note 1

Calvert Cliffs Assembly Axial Temperature Profile (Fuel & Coolant)

Fuel Centerline Temperature

Temperature (K)

Average Fuel Temperature

Coolant Temperature

Axial Location (cm)

Image Source: See Note 1

Calvert Cliffs Assembly Axial Fuel & Coolant Temperature Distributions

Temperature (K)

Image Source: See Note 1

Axial Position (cm)

Calvert Cliffs Assembly Axial Coolant Temperature Distributions Temperature (K)

Image Source: See Note 1

Axial Position (cm)

Peaking Factors
Coolant Temperature Rise Factor
temperature rise in channel at r FH (r ) = temperature rise in core average channel

Temperature Parameters
Heat Flux From Surrounding Pins Coolant Heat Capacity Inlet Temperature Pressure

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Reflector Peaking Effect

Pmax Pmax Pave Pave

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Image Source: See Note 2

Enrichment Zoning Effect

Same peak, but raised average

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Image Source: See Note 2

Fuel Pin Heat Transport

We have described the relative power distribution on a per fuel pin (or per channel) basis in the core; now lets consider local heating within a single fuel pin. Lets cover fuel pin heat transport in a qualitative way.

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Fuel Pin Heat Transport

Fuel Pin Temperatures depend upon:
Fission Source Distribution Fuel Pin Heat Transport Properties Coolant Heat Sink Fuel Pin Geometry
Fuel Pellet Gap Cladding Tube Coolant

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Fuel Pin Radial Cross Section

rFcl =0

rFO rCI rCO

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Image Source: See Note 2

Fuel Pin Heat Transport

Assume that fissions occur uniformly throughout the fuel region, therefore heat is produced uniformly in fuel region. Heat generated in the fuel must pass through all of the fuel element layers before it is absorbed in the coolant. Fuel: Conduction (with uniform heat source) Gap: Convection Clad: Conduction Coolant: Convection
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PWR Fuel-Pin Temperature Profile

800 700
Fuel

Temperature, C

600 500 400 300 200 0.0

G a p Coolant Clad

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0.2 0.4 0.6 Fuel Pin Radial Distance, cm

0.8
Image Source: See Note 3

Nuclear Limits
We want to set operating limits so that the maximum centerline fuel temperature at the hottest axial position of the hottest fuel rod remains below the fuel melting temperature.
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Departure from Nucleate Boiling (DNB)

PWR BWR

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Image Source: See Note 2

Design Considerations
Reactor Control Maximum Hot-Spot
Normal Operation Anticipated Transients Reactivity Control

Control Rods
Insertion Increases Peaking
Radial Axial Feedbacks
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Axial Flux w/ Control Rods

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Image Source: See Note 2

Radial Flux w/ Control Rods

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Image Source: See Note 2

Image Source Notes

1. Reprinted with permission from David Griesheimer, DF Gill, JW Lane, DL Aumiller, An Integrated Thermal Hydraulic Feedback Method for Monte Carlo Reactor Calculations, Presented at the International Conference on the Physics of Reactors (PHYSOR 2010). Adapted and reprinted with permission from the American Nuclear Society. Nuclear Engineering Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power by Ronald Allen Knief, 2nd Edition. Copyright 2008 by the American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois. Figure 7-1 (slide 10), 7-2 (slide 11), 7-3 (slide 14), 7-7 (slide 18), 7-9 (slide 20), and 7-10 (slide 21). Reprinted with permission from Ron Knief.

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