Advances in Energy Research

Techno-Press (테크노프레스)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Sensitivity analysis of numerical schemes in natural cooling flows for low power research reactors

  • Karami, Imaneh (Department of Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University) ;
  • Aghaie, Mahdi (Department of Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University)
  • Received : 2018.04.26
  • Accepted : 2018.06.22
  • Published : 2017.09.25
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The advantages of using natural circulation (NC) as a cooling system, has prompted the worldwide development to investigate this phenomenon more than before. The interesting application of the NC in low power experimental facilities and research reactors, highlights the obligation of study in these laminar flows. The inherent oscillations of NC between hot source and cold sink in low Grashof numbers necessitates stability analysis of cooling flow with experimental or numerical schemes. For this type of analysis, numerical methods could be implemented to desired mass, momentum and energy equations as an efficient instrument for predicting the behavior of the flow field. In this work, using the explicit, implicit and Crank-Nicolson methods, the fluid flow parameters in a natural circulation experimental test loop are obtained and the sensitivity of solving approaches are discussed. In this way, at first, the steady state and transient results from explicit are obtained and compared with experimental data. The implicit and crank-Nicolson scheme is investigated in next steps and in subsequent this research is focused on the numerical aspects of instability prediction for these schemes. In the following, the assessment of the flow behavior with coarse and fine mesh sizes and time-steps has been reported and the numerical schemes convergence are compared. For more detail research, the natural circulation of fluid was modeled by ANSYS-CFX software and results for the experimental loop are shown. Finally, the stability map for rectangular closed loop was obtained with employing the Nyquist criterion.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : Shahid Beheshti University

References

  1. Ambrosini, W. and Ferreri, J.C. (2000), "Stability analysis of single-phase thermosyphon loops by finitedifference numerical methods", Nucl. Eng. Des., 201(1), 11-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(00)00262-4
  2. Ambrosini, W. and Ferreri, J.C. (2003), "Prediction of stability of one-dimensional natural circulation with a low diffusion numerical scheme", Ann. Nucl. Energy, 30(15), 1505-1537. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-4549(03)00119-1
  3. Ansys, CFX. (2010), ANSYS CFX User Manual, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Released Docs., ANSYS Inc.
  4. Bahonar, M. and Aghaie, M. (2017), "Study of fission gas products effect on thermal hydraulics of the WWER1000 with enhanced subchannel method", Adv. Energy Res., 5(2), 91-105. https://doi.org/10.12989/ERI.2017.5.2.091
  5. D'Auria, F. and Frogheri, M. (2002), "Use of a natural circulation map for assessing PWR performance", Nucl. Eng. Des., 215(1), 111-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(02)00045-6
  6. Deokattey, S., Bhanumurthy, K., Vijayan, P.K. and Dulera, I.V. (2013), "Hydrogen production using high temperature reactors: An overview", Adv. Energy Res., 1(1), 13-33. https://doi.org/10.12989/eri.2013.1.1.013
  7. Fichera, A. and Pagano, A. (2003), "Modelling and control of rectangular natural circulation loops", J. Heat Mass Transfer., 46(13), 2425-2444. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0017-9310(02)00543-4
  8. Guk, E. and Kalkan, N. (2015), "The importance of nuclear energy for the expansion of world", Adv. Energy Res., 3(2), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.12989/eri.2015.3.2.071
  9. Huang, B.J. and Zelaya, R. (1988), "Heat transfer behavior of a rectangular thermosyphon loop", J. Heat Transfer, 110(2), 487-493. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3250512
  10. Ibrahim, Y.V., Adeleye, M.O., Njinga, R.L., Odoi, H.C. and Jonah, S.A. (2015), "Prompt neutron lifetime calculations for the NIRR-1 reactor", Adv. Energy Res., 3(2), 125-131. https://doi.org/10.12989/eri.2015.3.2.125
  11. Jafari, J., D'Auria, F., Kazeminejad, H. and Davilu, H. (2003), "Reliability evaluation of a natural circulation system", Nucl. Eng. Des., 224(1), 79-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(03)00105-5
  12. Japikse, D. (1973), Advances in Thermosyphon Technology, in Advances in Heat Transfer, Elsevier, 1-11.
  13. Kumar, M., Borghain, A., Maheshwari, N.K. and Vijayan, P.K. (2011), "Simulation of natural circulation in a rectangular loop using CFD code PHOENICS", Kerntechnik., 76(2), 93-97. https://doi.org/10.3139/124.110125
  14. Misale, M., Garibaldi, P., Passos, J.C. and De Bitencourt, G.G. (2007), "Experiments in a single-phase natural circulation mini-loop", Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci., 31(8), 1111-1120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2006.11.004
  15. Mousavian, S.K., Misale, M., D'Auria, F. and Salehi, M.A., (2004), "Transient and stability analysis in single-phase natural circulation", Ann. Nucl. Energy, 31(10), 1177-1198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2004.01.005
  16. Muscato, G. and Xibilia, M. (2003), "Modeling and control of a natural circulation loop", J. Proc. Control, 13(3), 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-1524(02)00029-X
  17. Nayak, A.K., Vijayan, P.K., Saha, D. and Raj, V.V. (1995), "Mathematical modelling of the stability characteristics of a natural circulation loop", Math. Comput. Model., 22(9), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/0895-7177(95)00169-3
  18. Pilkhwal, D., Ambrosini, W., Forgione, N., Vijayan, P.K., Saha, D. and Ferreri, J.C. (2007), "Analysis of the unstable behaviour of a single-phase natural circulation loop with one-dimensional and computational fluid-dynamic models", Ann. Nucl. Energy, 34(5), 339-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2007.01.012
  19. Ruppersberg, J.C. and Dobson, R.T. (2007), "Flow and heat transfer in a closed loop thermosyphon Part II-experimental simulation", J. Energy South Afr., 18(4), 41-48.
  20. Safavi, A., Abdi, M.R., Aghaie, M., Esteki, M.H., Zolfaghair, A., Pilevar, A.F. and Daryabak, A. (2012), "Study of perforated plate effect in horizontal WWER1000 steam generator", Nucl. Eng. Des., 256, 249-255.
  21. Tolman, E.L., Kuan, P. and Broughton, J.M. (1988), "TMI-2 accident scenario update", Nucl. Eng. Des., 108(1-2), 45-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(88)90055-6
  22. Tyurina, E.A. and Mednikov, A.S. (2015), "Energy efficiency analyses of combined-cycle plant", Adv. Energy Res., 3(4), 195-203.
  23. Vijayan, P.K. (2002), "Experimental observations on the general trends of the steady state and stability behavior of single-phase natural circulation loops", Nucl. Eng. Des., 215(1), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-5493(02)00047-X
  24. Vijayan, P.K. and Nayak, A.K. (2005), Natural Circulation Systems: Advantages and Challenges, in Natural Circulation in Water Cooled Power Plants.
  25. Vijayan, P.K., Nayak, A.K., Pilkhwal, D.S., Saha, D. and Raj, V.V. (1992), "Effect of loop diameter on the stability of single-phase natural circulation in rectangular loops", Proceedings of the 5th International Topical Meeting on Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH-5, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., September.
  26. Vijayan, P.K., Sharma, M. and Saha, D., (2007), "Steady state and stability characteristics of single-phase natural circulation in a rectangular loop with different heater and cooler orientations", Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci., 31(8), 925-945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2006.10.003
  27. Wang, J.Y., Chuang, T.J. and Ferng, Y.M. (2013), "CFD investigating flow and heat transfer characteristics in a natural circulation loop", Ann. Nucl. Energy., 58, 65-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2013.01.015
  28. Welander, P. (1967), "On the oscillatory instability of a differentially heated fluid loop", J. Fluid Mech., 29(1), 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022112067000606
  29. Zvirin, Y. (1982), "A review of natural circulation loops in pressurized water reactors and other systems", Nucl. Eng. Des., 67(2), 203-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5493(82)90142-X
  30. Zvirin, Y. and Greif, R. (1979), "Transient behavior of natural circulation loops: two vertical branches with point heat source and sink", J. Heat Mass Transfer, 22(4), 499- 503. https://doi.org/10.1016/0017-9310(79)90053-X
  31. Zvirin, Y., Jeuck, P.R., Sullivan, C.W. and Duffey, R.B. (1981), "Experimental and analytical investigation of a natural circulation system with parallel loops", J. Heat Mass Transfer, 103(4), 645-652.