Benchmark Experiments for Natural Convection in Nuclear Fuel Rod Bundles

Author

Kyle L. Jones, Utah State UniversityFollow

Date of Award:

5-2016

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Barton L. Smith

Committee

Barton L. Smith

Committee

Robert E. Spall

Committee

Aaron Katz

Committee

Heng Ban

Committee

David W. Britt

Abstract

Buoyancy is the mechanism through which heated air causes fluid motion due to a difference in temperature between a body and the surrounding fluid. This fluid motion can be very erratic and unstable, which creates a difficult problem when attempting to simulate this fluid motion. Using high performance computational power the capability of simulating these complex interactions is available but requires assessment to determine the accuracy of these difficult flow scenarios. This study provides experimental data that can be used to assess the simulation’s accuracy and to ensure the computational models are achieving the correct solution. The Rotatable Buoyancy Tunnel (RoBuT) has been designed for this caliber of experiments known as “validation experiments” and will serve as the framework for the present study.

Four heated aluminum rods are suspended in the test section portion of the wind tunnel to model the physics present in a Pressurized Water Ractor (PWR) fuel rod bundle after it has been removed from the spent fuel pool and placed in dry storage. Boundary conditions that will be used as inputs to the computation fluid dynamics (CFD) model are measured with great detail along with their estimated uncertainties. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is the method used to optically measure fluid velocity without interrupting the flow by insertion of a probe giving a truer assessment of the flow. Thermocouples are embedded in the surfaces of the model to measure temperature boundary conditions. The system response quantities (SRQs) are outputs from the system as a result of the boundary conditions applied. Fuel and wall temperatures as well as velocity profiles are the SRQs for this study. After completion, all data acquired will be made available for public use in CFD model validation.

Checksum

d290063376197da3703630be4518f20e

Award Number

Department of Energy, Nuclear Energy University Program 128493

Related Content

Jones, Kyle L. and Smith, Barton L. (2016). Benchmark Experiments for Natural Convection in Nuclear Fuel Rod Bundles. Utah State University. https://doi.org/10.15142/T32C7D

Recommended Citation

Jones, Kyle L., "Benchmark Experiments for Natural Convection in Nuclear Fuel Rod Bundles" (2016). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 4942.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4942