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Reference Number EP/R045194/1
Title Computational modelling for nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics
Status Completed
Energy Categories Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Nuclear supporting technologies) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Chemical Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr M Colombo
No email address given
Chemical and Process Engineerin
University of Leeds
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 August 2018
End Date 30 November 2019
Duration 16 months
Total Grant Value £16,667
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region Yorkshire & Humberside
Programme Energy : Energy
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr M Colombo , Chemical and Process Engineerin, University of Leeds (100.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract To accomplish government's plan of increasing the role of nuclear energy in the future low-carbon United Kingdom's energy sector, new reactors that increase the overall nuclear generating capacity will be built in the forthcoming decades. As obvious as it might sounds, it is of uttermost importance for these new reactors to reach the highest possible safety standards. The proposed piece of work aims at contributing to two of perhaps the most important safety-related areas of research while establishing strong research links with two esteemed overseas research groups active in the areas:- As the recent events in Fukushima have demonstrated, there is an enormous benefit in being able to provide the necessary cooling of the plant even in absence of any active power. This can be achieved by relying on passive cooling methods that happens as a consequence of natural-occurring phenomena and does not require any active power intervention. In a nuclear plant, passive cooling can be safely and efficiently provided by natural convection. However, effectiveness and reliability of natural convection is significantly difficult to be predicted with accuracy. The research proposed aims at advancing accuracy and reliability of the methods we use to predict the effectiveness of passive cooling. This part of the work will be accomplished by actively collaborating with researchers from the Nuclear Reactors Group of Politecnico di Milano, in Italy.- Almost all water cooled reactors exploit boiling as a very efficient cooling method. Boiling is a very efficient heat transfer mechanism as long as the heated surface remains wetted by water. Otherwise heat transfer deteriorates dramatically, eventually compromising the integrity of the fuel rods and the safety of the plant. This part of the work deals with our understanding and ability to predict one of the most relevant aspect of boiling flows, which is the behaviour of the bubbles in the bulk of the flow. Main objective is to further develop computational methods available and validate their predictions against bubbly flows as a fundamental step to increase our ability to predict boiling flows. Research will be accomplished by actively collaborating with researchers from the Institute of Fluid Dynamics at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, in Germany.
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Added to Database 14/09/18