• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2005

The CANFLEX Mk-V bundle is designed to improve upon the critical heat flux (CHF) characteristics of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. The main difference between these two bundles is an increase in bearing pad height of about 0.3 mm in the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. This change in bearing pad height leads to an increase in gap flow at the bottom of the bundle, primarily eliminating the localized narrow-gap effect that limits the CHF of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of bearing pad height and pressure tube creep on the sheath-temperature distribution, dryout power, and dryout location, as observed ken full-scale bundle tests, between CANFLEX Mk-IV and Mk-V bundles In uncrept and crept channels. A comparison of surface-temperature differences between the top and bottom elements of the bundles showed that increasing the bearing pad height has led to a more homogeneous enthalpy distribution in subchannels of the bundle. Initial dryout locations of the CANFLEX Mk-V bundle were mainly observed at the mid-spacer plane of either the $10^{th}$ (about $80\%$) or $11^{th}$ ($20\%$) bundle in the 12-bundle string, as compared to the mid-spacer and downstream-button planes for the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. Dryout power and boiling-length-average (BLA) CHF values exhibit consistent trends and little scatter with varying flow conditions for both types of CANFLEX bundles in uncrept and crept channels. An increase in pressure tube creep has led to a reduction in dryout power (about $20\%$ far the $3.3\%$ crept channel and $27\%$ for the $5.1\%$ crept channel as compared to dryout powers for the uncrept channel). Increasing the bearing pad height of the CANFLEX bundle has led to an increase in the dryout power. Overall, the dryout power of the CANFLEX Mk-V bundle is 7 to $10\%$ higher than that of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle at the inlet temperature range of interest (i.e., between 243 and $290^{\circ}C$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.719-724
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• 1998

A preliminary fuel channel analysis for 35% reactor inlet header (RIH) break in CANDU reactor loaded with the CANFLEX-RU fuel bundles has been performed. The predicted results are compared with those for the reactor compared with those for the reactor loaded with standard 37-element bundles. The maximum fuel centerline and sheath temperatures for the CANFLEX-RU bundle channel were lower by 338 and 122 $^{\circ}C$, respectively, than those for the standard bundle because of the Bower maximum linear power of the CANFLEX-RU bundle In spite of the 0.4 FPS higher power pulse of the CANFLEX-RU bundle case. Fuel integrity margin to fuel breakup for the CANFLEX-RU bundle is about 50 J/g higher than that for the standard bundle. The PT/CT contact for the CANFLEX-RU bundle occurred 2 s later than that for the standard bundle. The PT/CT contact temperature for the CANFLEX-RU bundle was 2 $^{\circ}C$ lower than that for the standard bundle. These provide the CANFLEX-RU bundle with the negligibly enhanced safety margin for the fuel channel integrity in CANDU 6 reactor, compared with the standard bundle.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.358-373
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• 1995

The Heat Transport system loop stability of CANDU-6 reactor using the CANFLEX fuel bundle was studied. The Thermal-hydraulic behavior of CANFLEX fuel bundle is similar to the conventional 37-element fuel bundle since the reactor power and the frictional pressure drop through the fuel channel is almost the same each other, Mounter the CANFLEX fuel bundle gives higher critical channel power and more homogeneous enthalpy distributions in the subchannels than 37-element fuel bundle. The SOPHT modelling or the CANFLEX fuel bundle and the Reactor outlet Header(ROH) interconnection line was made and the stability analysis response of Wolsong-1 reactor with CANFLEX fuel bundle was obtained. Without the ROH interconnection line the Heat Transport system loop using 43-element fuel bundle is unstable like the current 37-element fuel bundle. With the ROH interconnection line, however, the Heat Transport system is stable within $\pm$1％ of nominal flow. In the Heat Transport system loop stability point of view for Wolsong-1 plant therefore, the CANFLEX fuel loading is considered to be acceptable.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.479-490
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• 2005

The thermalhydraulic performance of a CANDU-6 reactor loaded with various CANFLEX fuel bundles is evaluated by the NUCIRC code, which is incorporated with recent models of pressure drop and critical heat flux (CHF) predictions based on high-pressure steam-water tests for the CANFLEX bundle as well as a 37-element bundle. The distributions of channel flow rate, channel exit quality, critical channel power (CCP), and critical power ratio (CPR) for the CANFLEX bundles (with natural or recycled uranium fuel) in the CANDU-6 reactor fuel channel are calculated by the code. The effects of axial and radial heat flux on CCP are evaluated by assuming that the recycled uranium fuel (CANFLEX-RU) has the same geometric data as the natural uranium fuel bundle (CANFLEX-NU), but a different power distribution due to different fuel composition and refueling scheme. In addition, the effects of pressure tube creep and bearing-pad height are examined by comparing various results of uncrept, and $3.3\%\;and\;5.1\%$ crept channels loaded with CANFLEX bundles with 1.4 mm or 1.7 mm high bearing-pads with those of the 37-element bundle. The distributions of the channel flow rate and CCP for the CANFLEX-NU or -RU bundle show a typical trend for a CANDU-6 reactor channel, and the CPRs are maintained above at least 1.444 (NU) or 1.455 (RU) in the uncrept channel. The enhanced CHF of the CANFLEX bundle (particularly with 1.7mm height bearing-pads) produces a higher thermal margin and considerably less sensitivity to CCP reduction due to the pressure tube creep than the 37-element bundle. The CCP enhancement due to the raised bearing-pads is estimated to be about $3\%\~5\%$ for the CANFLEX-NU and $2\%\~6\%$ for the CANFLEX-RU bundle, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.484-488
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• 1997

Fission product release (FPR) assessment for 100% reactor outlet header (ROH) break in CANDU reactor loaded with CANFLEX-NU fuel bundles has been performed. The predicted results are compared with those for the reactor loaded with standard 37-element bundles. The fuel failure thresholds for the CANFLEX and standard bundle elements are very similar. All the sheaths at the corresponding fuel failure thresholds for the CANFLEX and standard bundles fail due to the significant cracks in the surface oxide, except those for the CANFLEX inner element at burnups of 220 to 240 MW.h/kg(U), which fail due to the excessive diametral strain. The fuel failure analysis predicts that the number of failed fuel elements for the CANFLEX bundle case is none, while that for the standard bundle case is 1827. The total (gap plus bound) I-131 releases for the CANFLEX and standard bundles are none and 5889 TBq, respectively The significant reduction of the number of failed fuel elements and FPR for the CABFKEX fuel bundle is attributed to the lower linear power of the CANFLEX fuel bundle compared with the standard fuel bundle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.374-379
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• 1997

The thermal margin of CANDU-6 reactor is estimated by the CCP, which is dependent on fuel channel hydraulics and the CHF of fuel bundle. This paper intents to describe the characteristics of CCP behavior for the CANDU-6 channel in which CANFLEX-NU fuel bundles are assumed to be loaded. Also, it includes the thermal margin evaluation of the CANDU-6 channel loaded with a mixed CANFLEX-NU and 37-element fuel bundles as a simulation of the partial loading of CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle in the CANDU-6 reactor. For the mixed fuel channels, the effects of axial flux distribution(AFD) on CCP were investigated by using the AFD tilted in the downstream. The CCP of CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle was found to be improved by the CHF enhancement, despite of the slight flow decrease, in case of both full and partial loading, compared with those of a standard 37-element fuel bundle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.651-656
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• 1997

Fission product release (FPR) assessment for End Fitting Failure (EFF) in CANDU reactor loaded with CANFLEX-natural uranium (NU) fuel bundles has been peformed. The predicted results are compared with those for the reactor loaded with standard 37-element bundles. The total channel I-131 release at the end of transient for EFF accident is calculated to be 380.8 TBq and 602.9 TBq for the CANFLEX bundle and standard bundle channel cases, respectively. They are 4.9% and 7.9% of the total inventory, respectively. The lower total releases of the CANFLEX bundle O6 channel are attributed to the lower initial fuel temperatures caused by the lower linear element power of the CANFLEX bundle compared with the standard bundle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.532-537
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• 1998

Friction factor and two-phase flow frictional multiplier for a CANFLEX bundle are newly developed and presented in this paper. CANFLEX as a 43-element fuel bundle has been developed jointly by AECL/KAERI to provide greater operational flexibility for CANDU reactor operators and designers. Friction factor and two-phase flow frictional multiplier have been developed by using the experimental data of pressure drops obtained from two series of Freon-l34a (R-134a) CHF tests with a string of simulated CANFLEX bundles in a single phase and a two-phase flow conditions. The friction factor for a CANFLRX bundle is found to be about 20 % higher than that of Blasius for a smooth circular pipe. The pressure drop predicted by using the new correlations of friction factor and two-phase frictional multiplier are well agreed with the experimental pressure drop data of CANFLEX bundle within ${\pm}\;5\;%$ error.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.528-533
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• 1997

A CANFLEX(CANdu FLEXible fuelling) 43-element bundle has developed for a CANDU-6 reactor as an alternative of 37-element fuel bundle. The design has two diameter elements (11.5 and 13.5㎜) to reduce maximum element power rating and buttons to enhance the critical heat flux(CHF), compared with the standard 37-element bundle. The freon CHF experiments have performed for two series of CANFLEX bundles with and without buttons with a modelling fluid as refrigerant H-l34a and axial uniform heat flux condition. Evaluating the effects of buttons of CANFLEX bundle on CHF and Critical Channel Power(CCP) with the experimental results, it is shown that the buttons enhance CCP as well as CHF. All the CHF's for both the CANFLEX bundles are occurred at the end of fuel channel with the high dryout quality conditions. The CHF enhancement ratio are increased with increase of dryout quality for all flow conditions and also with increase of mass flux only lot high pressure conditions. It indicates that the button is a useful design lot CANDU operating condition because most CHF flow conditions for CANDU fuel bundle are ranged to high dryout quality conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.169-174
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• 1998

An 1200-day time-dependent fuel-management for the transition from 37-element fuel to CANFLEX-NU fuel in a CANDU 6 reactor has been simulated to show the compatibility of the CANFLEX-NU fuel with the reactor operation. The simulation calculation were carried out with the RFSP code, provided by cell averaged hel properties obtained from the POWDERPUFS-V code. The refueling scheme for both fuels was an eight bundle shift art a time. The simulation results show that the maximum channel and bundle powers were maintained below the licence limit of the CANDU 6. This indicates that the CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle is compatible with the CANDU 6 reactor operation during the transition period.