CFD calculation of a phase change material using STAR-CCM+ for a passive safety system of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

The aim of the present study is to quantify the impact that local scale physics of phase change has on the overall heat transfer of the quasi-cubic modular element of an innovative Decay Heat Removal System (DHRS). To evaluate the capabilities of using a solid/liquid phase change material (PCM) to d...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Meston, Ria
Tipo de recurso: tesis de maestría
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/399507
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/399507
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Nuclear reactors -- Cooling -- Fluid dynamics -- Mathematical models
Reactors nuclear -- Refrigeració -- Dinàmica de fluids -- Models matemàtics
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia nuclear
Descripción
Sumario:The aim of the present study is to quantify the impact that local scale physics of phase change has on the overall heat transfer of the quasi-cubic modular element of an innovative Decay Heat Removal System (DHRS). To evaluate the capabilities of using a solid/liquid phase change material (PCM) to drive passive natural circulation to cool the core of a Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), a CFD analysis was carried out using STAR-CCM+. The melting-solidification model that utilizes the Volume- Of-Fluid (VOF) enthalpy-porosity approach proved sufficient when liquid and solid phases are isotropic, homogeneous and remain in thermal equilibrium at the interface, however, demonstrated extreme sensitivity when considering variable density between the phases. A preliminary estimation for the placement of the thermocouples according to the calculations was made for a future experimental study of melting Zamak PCM to measure areas of highly convective motion, hot and cold spots, and the shape of the melting interface