Hydraulic Balance Characteristics of an Innovative Bottom Nozzle Design With Angled Trailing Edge

The purpose of this study is to analyze the hydraulic characteristics of adapter plate with angled trailing edge in the bottom nozzle design for the self-reliant nuclear fuel development plan. Hydraulic behavior and pressure drop were calculated by using Computational Fluid Dynamics, which is an ANSYS CFX program. Several models for analysis were selected according to factors influencing the hydraulic. Each analysis model was classified by the depths of angled trailing edge on bottom nozzle flow plate with respect to the reference design. Bottom nozzle flow plate with angled trailing edge showed the lower pressure drop. Different from conventional design, angled trailing edge ensure flow area changing smoothly along the FA longitude, and nozzles with this feature have lower pressure drop. Angled trailing edges also provide a passage of flow exchange, making the flow more evenly distributed. Bottom nozzles with angled trailing edge also show better performance than the former design in hydraulic balance.