Prediction of Vortex Reducing Effect by a Peforated Baffle in the Inlet Plenum of a Research Reactor

CFD analysis was performed to figure out flow behavior in the inlet plenum of new research reactor where coolant is injected to the flow tubes with the fuel assembly. The computation results showed that large-scale vortices are generated in the inlet plenum by flow stream injected from inlet pipe. These vortices are divided into small vortices and reversed their revolution. They may lead to flow-induced vibration of fuel assembly, moreover, which has been regarded as a cause of fretting wear of fuel assembly. Also there is an another important thing that average velocity of each flow-tube is uneven showing difference in maximum 18%. So it has been suggested that perforated baffle will be installed to prevent the formation of vortex in the inlet plenum. Two perforated baffles, one is flow skirt and the other is muffler type flow straightener, were proposed and their effect was evaluated using commercial CFD code, Fluent. According to CFD analysis for two perforated baffles, it was confirmed that both of them can prevent or reduce vortex formation in the inlet plenum and make average velocity of each flow tube more even.

연구용 원자로 유입 공동에서 다공형 차폐물에 의한 와류 감쇄효과 예측