Nuclear thermal-hydraulics (Centre d'étude nucléaire-Mol)

Teacher(s)

Bartosiewicz Yann;

Language

English

Main themes

• Reactor heat generation
•  Transport equations (single-phase & two-phase flow)
• Thermal analysis of fuel elements
• (Single-phase fluid mechanics and heat transfer)'usually already known
• Two-phase flow dynamics
• Two-phase heat transfer
• Single heated channel; steady state analysis
• Single heated channel; transient analysis
• Flow loops
• Utilisation of established codes and introduction to advanced topics (modelling and thermalhydraulics for GEN4 reactors)

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	To be familiarised with various reactor types and their main design and operational characteristics To learn how to estimate the volumetric heat generation rate in fission reactor cores under normal operation and shutdown conditions To learn how to analyse the thermal performance of nuclear fuel elements To learn the basic fluid mechanics of single phase reactor cooling systems To learn to calculate pressure drop in reactor systems, including tube bundles, and spacer grids To learn to analyse the heat transfer characteristics of single phase reactor cooling systems To learn the basic fluid mechanics of two-phase systems, including flow regime maps, void-quality relations, pressure drop, and critical flow To learn the fundamentals of boiling heat transfer, and its implications for reactor design To learn the fundamentals of core thermal design, with attention to design uncertainty analysis and hot channel factors.

Content

• Lect. 1: Thermal design principles
• Lect. 2: Reactor energy distribution
• Lect. 3: Transport eqns. For 1-phase flow: Reminders/summary
• Lect. 4: Tranport eqns. For 2-phase flows:basic formulation
• Lect. 5: Tranport eqns. For 2-phase flows:equations
• Lect. 6: Thermodynamics, cycles: non-flow and steady flow
• Lect. 7: Thermodynamics, cycles: non steady flow first law
• Lect. 8: Thermal analysis of fuel elements
• Lect. 9: 1-phase fluid mechanics/heat transfer: Reminders/summary
• Lect. 10: 2-phase fluid mechanics/pressure drops
• Lect. 11: 2-phase fluid mechanics/pressure drops
• Lect. 12: 2-phase heat transfer (pool boiling)
• Lect. 13: 2-phase heat transfer (flow boiling)
• Lect. 14: Single-heated channel: steady state analysis
• Lect. 15: Flow loops

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

• 30h of ex catedra lectures
• 14h of supervised personnal work
• 24h of supervised exercice sessions

The course takes place at the Nuclear Research Centre of Belgium (SCK.CEN) in gthe framework of the BNEN interuniversity programme (see: http://bnen.sckcen.be). 
Courses taking place at SCK.CEN are condensed over a period of 2  intensive weeks of courses.

Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

Project (45%): set up a simulation tools to calculate the pressure drop in a boiling channel under different conditions
Exam (55%): closed book. 4h. Understanding/theory/exercice

Online resources

http://bnen.sckcen.be

Bibliography

• Todreas, N.E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear System I: Thermal Hydraulic Fundamentals, CRC Press, 2012.
• Todreas, N. E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear Systems II: Elements of Thermal Hydraulic Design, Hemisphere Publishing Corp., New York, 1990.

REFERENCE BOOKS ON THE CONTENT

• Todreas, N.E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear System I: Thermal Hydraulic Fundamentals, CRC Press, 2012. Mandatory.
• Todreas, N. E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear Systems II: Elements of Thermal Hydraulic Design, Hemisphere Publishing Corp., New York, 1990. Advised.

Teaching materials

• Todreas, N.E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear System I: Thermal Hydraulic Fundamentals, CRC Press, 2012.
• Todreas, N. E. and Kazimi, M.S. Nuclear Systems II: Elements of Thermal Hydraulic Design, Hemisphere Publishing Corp., New York, 1990.

Faculty or entity

MECA