NucE 597B Advanced Thermal Hydraulic Analysis
Course
Description
This course discusses detailed
thermal-hydraulic analysis of reactor systems with the emphasis on the
application of conservation equations for single and two-phase in detailed
modeling of reactor cores using three dimensional subchannel analysis
methods. NucE 501 is not a requirement for this course. There will be some
initial lectures on two-phase flow, boiling and critical heat flux which
will provide the basis for understanding the calculated core limits from the
subchannel analysis. The purpose of the course will be to examine the
reactor core thermal-hydraulic design for core limit analysis such as
critical heal flux or critical power for PWRs and BWRs as well as for
temperature limited liquid metal and gas cooled reactor designs. The
governing sets of equations which form the basis for the three-dimensional
thermal-hydraulic methods commonly used in the nuclear industry will be
derived and discussed as well as specific models which are used for closure.
Thermal-hydraulic methods used to analyze steam generators will also be
discussed.
Hot assembly analysis will be performed as well as core wide analysis to
determine the hot assembly and resulting hot subchannels in the core.
Engineering hot channel factors will also be determined and applied in the
analysis to determine the limiting subchannels. Newer fuel designs,
specifically for BWRs will be analyzed on subchannel basis and compared to
the current operating limits. A similar approach will also be used for PWRs.
New statistical approaches, which are currently used by the vendors, to
calculate the limits for the hot channel performance in the core will also
be discussed. The hot channel factors will also be discussed and shown how
they are factored into the three-dimensional core analysis. The students
will use state-of-the-art three-dimensional computer codes to model fuel
assemblies and the reactor core to find the most limiting fuel pin and
hottest subchannel. The computer codes that will be discussed include:
COBRA-IV, VIPRE-II, THERMIN-II, and COBRA-TF. The COBRA-TF code will also be
discussed since it is the only subchannel code that can model situations
where the critical heat flux has been exceeded. Other subchannel codes will
also be discussed using recent papers from the literature. A project will be
given using one of these codes.
Current Course
Offering Schedule via C&DE
Spring 2006
Day and Time: Monday
and Wednesday, 5:00 - 6:30 pm
Location: 308
Hammond Building
Start Date: January
9, 2006
End Date: May 5,
2006
