Thermal-Hydraulic Bases for the Safety Limits and Limiting Safety System Settings for HFIR Operation at 100 MW and 468 psig Primary Pressure, Using Specially Selected Fuel Elements

摘要

This report summarizes thermal hydraulic analyses performed to support HFIR operation at 100 MW and 468 psig pressure using specially selected fuel elements. The analyses were performed with the HFIR steady state heat transfer code, originally developed during HFIR design. This report addresses the increased core heat removal capability which can be achieved in fuel elements having coolant channel thicknesses that exceed the minimum requirements of the HFIR fuel fabrication specifications. Specific requirements for the minimum value of effective uniform as-built coolant channel thickness are established for fuel elements to be used at 100 MW. The burnout correlation currently used in the steady-state heat transfer code was also compared with more recent experimental results for stability of high-velocity flow in narrow heated channels, and the burnout correlation was found to be conservative with respect to flow stability at typical HFIR hot channel exit conditions at full power.