Influence of PT-CT contact on PHWR fuel channel thermal behaviour under accident condition – An experimental study

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design Vol. 361; p. 110543
• Main Authors: Ajay, Ketan, Kumar, Ravi, Mukhopadhyay, Deb, Gokhle, Onkar, Gupta, Akhilesh, Das, Arup K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Accidents; Decay; Deformation; ECCS; Fuels; LOCA; Moderator; Nuclear fuel elements; Nuclear fuels; Ohmic dissipation; PHWR; Resistance heating; Sagging deformation; Shutdowns; Simulation; Temperature distribution; Temperature gradients; Thermodynamic properties; CT; Moderator; LOCA; PT; OD; PHWR; W; H; Sagging deformation; ID; L; ECCS
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110543

[Display omitted] •The PT/CT contact develops a significant circumferential temperature variation in both PT and CT.•The maximum temperature is obtained at the top and bottom surface of PT and CT respectively.•Significant circumferential temperature distribution is also found in the fuel bundle expect in the fuel pin of ring-1.•Moderator acts as an emergency heat sink during large break LOCA as it takes away around 84 percent decay heat. An experimental investigation has been performed to simulate a scenario of a beyond design basis accident like LOCA along with the un-availability of ECCS. The investigation is aimed to study the thermal behaviour of a single channel of PHWR during sagging deformation. The sagging deformation of PT was simulated by making a direct physical contact between PT and CT. The fuel channel assembly of a length of 1.4 m was immersed in water which simulates Moderator. The decay heat liberated after reactor shutdown was simulated by Joule heating of the 37-fuel pin elements. The steady state circumferential temperature distribution in the 37-fuel pin bundle simulator, PT and CT at different axial position has been obtained. It was found that there is a significant circumferential temperature gradient in the fuel channel. The maximum and minimum temperature was obtained respectively at top and bottom nodes of PT. However, an opposite trend was observed in CT. The maximum temperature difference of 185.7 °C and 10.2 °C has been found between top and bottom surfaces of PT and CT respectively. A similar behaviour to that of PT was discerned in the 37-pin fuel element. However, fuel pin of ring-1 has an insignificant effect of PT-CT contact. It was observed that around 84 percent of simulated decay heat is transferred to the simulated moderator.