CFD Simulation of the CANDU-6 Moderator Circulation Under Normal Operating Conditions

A steady-state 3D simulation for predicting the local subcooling of the moderator in the vicinity of the calandria tubes in a CANDU-6 reactor is performed. For the current simulation, a set of grid structures with the same geometry as the CANDU-6 moderator tank, called ‘calandria vessel’, is generated and the momentum, heat and continuity equations are solved by CFX-4.3, a CFD code developed by AEA technology. The standard k-ε turbulence model associated with logarithmic wall treatment is used to model turbulence generation and dissipation within the vessel. The moderator fluid is heavy water. Buoyancy forces are modeled using the Boussinesq approximation in which density is assumed to be a linear function of temperature. The matrix of the calandria tubes in the center region of the calandria vessel is simplified by the porous media approach. The anisotropic hydraulic impedance of the calandria tubes is modeled using the frictional pressure drop correlations suggested by Idelchik and Szymanski. The heat load in this steady-state simulation is conservatively set as 103 MW of 103% full power, consisting of 96.7 MW to the core region and 6.3 MW to the reflector region. The total volumetric flow rate through eight inlet nozzles is 940 L/s and the outlet temperature is constantly 71.0 °C. The thermal boundary condition of the circumferential vessel wall is assumed a little heat flux out. As a result, the velocity field and temperature distribution of a CANDU-6 moderator in the operating condition are presented. The flow pattern identified in this simulation is the weak jet momentum-dominated flow, which is generated by the interaction between the buoyancy force by heating and the dominant momentum forces by inlet jets. The calculated maximum temperature of the moderator is 83.0 °C at the lower center region of the core, which corresponds to the minimum subcooling of 33.0 °C considering the boiling point increase due to the hydrostatic pressure change.