A non-Boussinesq integral boundary layer heat transfer modeling for Tehran Research Reactor

• Published in: Progress in nuclear energy (New series) Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 186 - 190
• Main Author: Farhadi, Kazem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Channels; Computational fluid dynamics; Coolants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fluid flow; Fluids; Fuels; Heat transfer; High temperature ratio; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Mathematical models; MTR research reactor; Natural convection; Non-Boussinesq model; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear research reactors; Preparation and processing of nuclear fuels; Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering; Iran, Tehran; High temperature ratio; MTR research reactor; Natural convection; Non-Boussinesq model; Temperature distribution; Conduction; Coolant; Heat flow; Nuclear fuel; Velocity distribution; High temperature; Modeling; Heat flux; Nuclear reactor; Equation system; Research reactor; Heat transfer; Boundary layer
• ISSN: 0149-1970
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2011.05.030

A non-Boussinesq integral boundary layer model is developed. The model analyzes laminar free convection between nuclear fuel plates having large aspect ratio. The coolant channels are subject to a uniform, symmetric, heat flux and varying fluid properties. In the model the flow is assumed to be fully developed which is a good assumption for channels with large aspect ratios. The non-Boussinesq approximation is introduced into the integral boundary layer equations governing the system to describe the velocity and temperature distributions of the coolant in the cooling channels. The fuel plate temperature is related to the adjacent coolant fluid temperature by a fundamental law in conduction heat transfer. Air and water are considered as fluids. The results show that the present heat transfer problem encountered in nuclear research reactor such Tehran research reactor (TRR) is characterized by high temperature ratios and thereby rendering the commonly applied Boussinesq approximation invalid. Therefore, the use of the Boussinesq approximation for high temperature ratios is not suggested. ► A non-Boussinesq integral model is developed for Tehran Research Reactor. ► Numerical solution to this integral model is provided. ► The numerical solution approach exact solution asymptotically.