Numerical Study of Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics in a Simplified Dual Fluid Reactor

This study presents the design and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of a mini demonstrator for a dual fluid reactor (DFR). The DFR is a novel concept currently under investigation. The DFR is characterized by the implementation of two distinct liquid loops dedicated to fuel and coolant. I...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Energies (Basel) Vol. 16; no. 13; p. 4989
Main Authors:	Elgendy, Hisham, Czerski, Konrad
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Basel MDPI AG 01-07-2023
Subjects:	Ansys fluent Computational fluid dynamics Computer applications Coolants Design Design optimization dual fluid reactor Durability Electricity distribution Fast neutrons Flow rates Fluid dynamics Fluid flow Heat exchange Heat transfer High temperature Hydraulics Hydrodynamics Hydrogen as fuel k-ω SST model lead cooled Liquid lead Liquid metal cooled reactors Mass flow rate mini demonstrator Molten salt nuclear reactors Nuclear energy Nuclear facilities Nuclear power plants Nuclear reactors Nuclear safety Pipes Prandtl number Reactor design Reactors Spatial distribution Structural engineering Structural safety Swirling Temperature thermal hydraulic analysis Turbulence models Netherlands
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Summary:	This study presents the design and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of a mini demonstrator for a dual fluid reactor (DFR). The DFR is a novel concept currently under investigation. The DFR is characterized by the implementation of two distinct liquid loops dedicated to fuel and coolant. It integrates the principles of molten salt reactors and liquid metal cooled reactors; thus, it operates in a high temperature and fast neutron spectrum, presenting a distinct approach in the field of advanced nuclear reactor design. The mini demonstrator serves as a scaled-down version of the actual reactor, primarily aimed at gaining insights into the CFD analysis intricacies of the reactor while minimizing computational costs. The CFD modeling of the MD intends to add valuable data for the purpose of modeling validation against experiments to be conducted on the MD. These experiments can be used for DFR licensing and design optimization. The coolant and fuel utilized in the mini demonstrator are of low Prandtl number (Pr = 0.01) liquid lead, operating at two distinct inlet temperatures, namely 873 K and 1473 K. The study showed a rapid increase in turbulence due to intense mixing and abrupt changes in flow areas and directions, despite the relatively low inlet velocities. Hot spots characterized by elevated temperatures were identified, analyzed, and justified based on their spatial distribution and flow conditions. Flow swirling within pipes was identified and a remedy approach was suggested. Inconsistent mass flow rates were observed among the fuel pipes, with higher rates observed in the lateral pipes. Although lower fuel temperatures were observed in the lateral pipes, they consistently exhibited higher heat exchange characteristics. The study concludes by giving physical insights into the heat transfer and flow behavior, and proposing design considerations for the dual fluid reactor to enhance structural safety and durability, based on the preliminary analysis conducted.
ISSN:	1996-1073 1996-1073
DOI:	10.3390/en16134989