Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: The thermalhydraulics of a pin bundle with a helical wire wrap spacer. Modeling and qualification for a new sub-assembly concept

Valentin, B. (CEA/CEN Cadarache, DRN/DEC/SECA/LTEA, Saint-Paul-lez-Durances (France))

Abstract

For the sub-assembly composed by an hexcan and a pin bundle with an helical wire wrap spacer, the calculation of the maximum clad temperatures, with the design code CADET, imposed to correctly evaluate the heat and mass transfers due to the helical wire. The models use theoretical and experimental arguments which are presented after a brief description of the hydraulic behavior of a such bundle. The design of a new sub-assembly concept, in the framework of high plutonium consumption in fast reactor projects needs to qualify the models from RAPSODIE, PHENIX and SUPER-PHENIX programs. The qualification program, which could be used, is described; the approach is notably comparative for the hydraulic fields and the past experimental results will be useful. Another approach is briefly presented. It uses a multidimensionnal code (TRIO) which solves Navier-Stokes equations. The utility and the limits of a such method are described.

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key words: c codes; cladding; fuel element clusters; hydrodynamics; many-dimensional calculations; navier-stokes equations; phenix reactor; rapsodie reactor; simulation; super phenix reactor; t codes; temperature distribution
Reference:
Technical committee meeting on methods and codes for calculations of thermohydraulic parameters for fuel, absorber pins and assemblies of LMFR's with traditional and burner cores. Obninsk (Russian Federation) 27-31 Jul 1998
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--1157, pp:265-275