Simulation of the PBF-CANDU Test with Coupled Thermal-Hydraulic and Fuel Thermo-Mechanical Responses

摘要

During a large loss-of-coolant accident (LLOCA), the fuel sheath temperature is influenced by thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical phenomena. The thermal-hydraulic phenomena include the heat transfer from the sheath to the coolant and surroundings. Thermo-mechanical phenomena, such as creep and thermal expansion, influence the size of the fuel-to-sheath gap, and thus the heat transfer from the fuel to the sheath. Therefore, coupling the thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analysis of an LLOCA would result in more accurate predictions of sheath temperature. This is illustrated by comparing the sheath temperature predictions from coupled and decoupled simulations of the PBF-CANDU Test with experimental measurements. The codes C'ATHENA and ELOCA were used for the thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analysis, respectively. The predicted sheath temperatures from both the coupled and decoupled simulations were higher than the measured values. However, after the initial power pulse, when the fuel-to-sheath gap was calculated as being opened, the sheath temperatures predicted by the coupled simulation were closer to the experimental measurements. Thus, under conditions of an open fuel-to-sheath gap, a coupled thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analysis can improve predictions of sheath temperatures.