Thermal Hydraulics Design For Nuclear Reactors

Nuclear Reactor Thermal-
Hydraulics Design
Thermal-Hydraulic Design of Nuclear Reactor Cores
Basis of Thermal-Hydraulic Core Analysis
Constraints of the thermal-hydraulic core design
Working of different types of Nuclear Thermal Reactor

Thermal-Hydraulic Design of Nuclear Reactor Cores
An important aspect of nuclear reactor core analysis involves the

determination of the optimal coolant flow distribution and pressure
drop across the core. On the one hand, higher coolant flow rates will
lead to better heat transfer coefficients and higher CHF limits. On the
other hand, higher flow rates will also result in larger pressure drops
across the core, hence larger required pumping powers and larger
dynamic loads on the core components. Thus, the role of the
hydrodynamic and thermal-hydraulic core analysis is to find proper
working conditions that assure both safe and economical operation of
the nuclear power plant.
Basis of Thermal-Hydraulic Core Analysis
The energy released in nuclear fission appears as kinetic energy of

fission reaction products and finally as heat generated in the nuclear
fuel elements. This heat must be removed from the fuel and reactor
core and used to produce electrical power.
The primary goals of thermal core design include achieving a high

power density (to minimize core size), a high specific power (to
minimize fuel inventory) and high coolant exit temperatures (to
maximize thermodynamic efficiency).
Constraints of the thermal-hydraulic core design
The first important constraint is that the core temperatures remain below the melting points of
core components. This is particularly important for the fuel and the clad materials.
There are also limits on heat transfer rate between the fuel elements and coolant, since if this
heat transfer rate becomes too large, critical heat flux may be approached leading to boiling
transition. This, in turn, will result in a rapid increase of the clad temperature.
The coolant pressure drop across the core must be kept low to minimize pumping requirements
as well as hydraulic stresses on core components.
One of the main goals of the thermal-hydraulic core analysis is to ensure that the thermal
limitations on the core behavior are not exceeded.
Different types of Nuclear Thermal Reactor
Pressurized-Water Reactor
Boiling Water Reactor
Gas-Cooled Reactor
Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor
Fast Breeder Reactor

Boiling Water Reactor
BWRs actually boil the water. In both types,
water is converted to steam, and then
recycled back into water by a part called the
condenser, to be used again in the heat
process.
Since radioactive materials can be dangerous,
nuclear power plants have many safety
systems to protect workers, the public, and
the environment. These safety systems
include shutting the reactor down quickly and
stopping the fission process, systems to cool
the reactor down and carry heat away from it,
and barriers to contain the radioactivity and
prevent it from escaping into the
environment. Radioactive materials, if not
used properly, can damage human cells or
even cause cancer over long periods of time.
Pressurized-Water Reactor
Reactor core(1)
Control rods (2)
Reactor vessel (3)
Pressurizer (4)
Steam generator (5)
Reactor coolant pumps (6)
Reactor containment (7)
Turbine (8)
Generator (9)
Condenser (10)
Extraction pumps (11)
Cooling system (13)
Transformer (14)
Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor
Gas-Cooled Reactor
Fast Breeder Reactor
A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor capable of generating
more fissile material than it consumes.
Under appropriate operating conditions, the neutrons given off by
fission reactions can "breed" more fuel from otherwise non-
fissionable isotopes. The most common breeding reaction is that of
plutonium-239 from non-fissionable uranium-238.
The term "fast breeder" refers to the types of configurations which
can actually produce more fissionable fuel than they use.
This scenario is possible because the non-fissionable uranium-238 is
140 times more abundant than the fissionable U-235 and can be
efficiently converted into Pu-239 by the neutrons from a fission chain
reaction.

Thermal Hydraulics Design For Nuclear Reactors

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What are the goals of thermal core design?

What are some important constraints in thermal-hydraulic core design?

Nuclear Reactor Thermal-

Basis of Thermal-Hydraulic Core Analysis

Constraints of the thermal-hydraulic core design

Working of different types of Nuclear Thermal Reactor

An important aspect of nuclear reactor core analysis involves the

The energy released in nuclear fission appears as kinetic energy of

The primary goals of thermal core design include achieving a high

Boiling Water Reactor

Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor

Fast Breeder Reactor

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