Procedure of calculation of the spatial distribution of temperatures and heat fluxes in the steam generator of a nuclear power installation with an RBEC fast-neutron reactor

Abstract

A method for combined 3D/1D-modeling of thermohydraulics of a once-through steam generator (SG) based on the joint analysis of three-dimensional thermo- and hydrodynamics of a single-phase heating coolant in the intertube space and one-dimensional thermohydraulics of steam-generating channels (tubes) with the use of well-known friction and heat-transfer correlations under various boiling conditions is discussed. This method allows one to determine the spatial distribution of temperatures and heat fluxes of heat-exchange surfaces of SGs with a single-phase heating coolant in the intertube space and with steam generation within tubes. The method was applied in the analytical investigation of typical operation of a once-through SG of a nuclear power installation with an RBEC fast-neutron heavy-metal reactor that is being designed by Kurchatov Institute in collaboration with OKB GIDROPRESS and Leipunsky Institute of Physics and Power Engineering. Flow pattern and temperature fields were obtained for the heavy-metal heating coolant in the intertube space. Nonuniformities of heating of the steam–water coolant in different heat-exchange tubes and nonuniformities in the distribution of heat fluxes at SG heat-exchange surfaces were revealed.