Numerical Analysis for Flow Distribution inside a Fuel Assembly with Swirl-type Mixing Vanes

Title & Authors
Numerical Analysis for Flow Distribution inside a Fuel Assembly with Swirl-type Mixing Vanes
Lee, Gonghee; Shin, Andong; Cheong, Aeju;

Abstract
As a turbulence-enhancing device, a mixing vane installed at a spacer grid of the fuel assembly plays a role in improving the convective heat transfer by generating either swirl flow in the subchannels or cross flow between fuel rod gaps. Therefore, both configuration and arrangement pattern of a mixing vane are important factors that determine the performance of a mixing vane. In this study, in order to examine the flow distribution features inside $\small{5{\times}5}$ fuel assembly with swirl-type mixing vanes used in benchmark calculation of OECD/NEA, simulations were conducted with commercial CFD software ANSYS CFX R.14. Predicted results were compared to data measured from MATiS-H (Measurement and Analysis of Turbulent Mixing in Subchannels-Horizontal) test facility. In addition, the effect of swirl-type mixing vanes on flow pattern inside the fuel assembly was described.
Keywords
Computational fluid dynamics;Mixing vane;Rod bundle;Subchannel;Swirl-type;Turbulent flow;
Language
Korean
Cited by
References
1.
Lee, G. H., Bang, Y. S., and Cheong, A. J., 2015, Comparative study for modeling reactor internal geometry in CFD simulation of PWR and PHWR internal flow-Nuclear regulatory perspective, Progress in Nuclear Energy, Vol. 85, pp. 588-599.

2.
Lee, G. H. and Cheong, A. J., 2015, CFD analysis for the turbulent flow distribution in a fuel assembly with the split-type mixing vanes by using the advanced scale-resolving turbulence models, Applied Mechanics and Materials, Vol. 752/753, pp. 902-907.

3.
Lee, G. H. and Cheong, A. J., 2015, Effect of the accuracy order of the discretization scheme on the prediction performance for the turbulent flow structure inside fuel assembly : Sensitivity study, Proc. of the ASME-JSME-KSME Joint Fluids Engineering Conference 2015, AJK2015-03027, Seoul, Korea.

4.
Chang S. K., Kim, S., and Song, C. H., 2014, Turbulent mixing in a rod bundle with vaned spacer grids : OECD/NEA-KAERI CFD benchmark exercise test, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 279, pp. 19-36.

5.
Lee, J. R., Kim, J. W., and Song, C.-H., 2014, Synthesis of the turbulent mixing in a rod bundle with vaned spacer grids based on the OECD-KAERI CFD benchmark exercise, Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 279, pp. 3-18.

6.
ANSYS CFX, Version 14.0, ANSYS Inc.

7.
Menter, F., 2001, CFD best practice guidelines for CFD code validation for reactor safety applications, ECORA CONTRACT N$^{\circ}$ FIKS-CT-2001-00154.

8.
ANSYS CFX-Solver Modeling Guide, 2011, ANSYS Inc.