NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES, Volume. 48, Issue 6, 060601(2025)

Influence of helical geometry on flow and heat transfer characteristics of helical tri-lobe fuel

Siyu DIAO1,2, Yanan ZHAO1,2、*, and Tao YU1,2
Author Affiliations
  • 1School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
  • 2Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Energy Design and Safety, Ministry of Education, Hengyang 421001, China
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    Figures & Tables(16)
    Geometric structure of helical tri-lobe fuel assemblies
    Grid division for the fluid region of the helical tri-lobe fuel assemblies
    Secondary flow vector diagrams at heights of z=240 mm and z=280 mm (color online)
    Influence of helical pitch on pressure drop (a), JABS (b) and heat transfer coefficient (c)
    Wall temperature distribution of HTF with different helical pitches at z=360 mm (color online)
    Temperature contours at different axial positions for various helical pitches (color online)
    Velocity field contours in cross-sections with different lobe gap distances (color online)
    Temperature field contours with different lobe gap distances (color online)
    Wall temperature distribution of central HTF with different lobe gap distances (color online)
    Influence of lobe gap distances on pressure drop (a) and heat transfer coefficient (b)
    Cross-sectional shapes of HTF with different R2/R1
    Influence of R2/R1 on pressure drop (a), fuel loading (b), and heat transfer coefficient (c)
    Wall temperature distribution of central HTF with different R2/R1 (color online)
    • Table 1. The geometry parameters of the helical tri-lobe fuel

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      Table 1. The geometry parameters of the helical tri-lobe fuel

      几何参数

      Geometric parameters

      尺寸

      Dimension / mm

      外切圆直径D

      Diameter of the inscribed circle D

      12.75

      叶尖弧半径R1

      Radius of the lobe tip arc R1

      1.15

      叶根弧半径R2

      Radius of the lobe root arc R2

      2

      两叶尖弧最小间距d

      The gap distance between two lobe tip arc d

      1

      螺旋节距H

      Helical pitch H

      240

      燃料元件长度 L

      Fuel rod length L

      720
    • Table 2. Grid independence verification

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      Table 2. Grid independence verification

      网格数

      Number of grids / 104

      进出口压差

      Pressure drop / Pa

      1431 612.80
      2571 615.28
      3851 617.14
      7691 620.17
      1 0691 620.58
    • Table 3. IRIS reactor design parameters

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      Table 3. IRIS reactor design parameters

      设计参数Design parameters数值Numerical value
      系统压力System pressure / MPa15.5
      热功率Thermal power / MW1 000
      电功率Electric power / MWe330
      堆芯质量流量Core mass flow / kg∙s-14 504

      堆芯入口温度

      Core inlet temperature / K

      565

      堆芯出口温度

      Core outlet temperature / K

      601.5

      堆芯压降

      Pressure drop of the reactor core / kPa

      52
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    Siyu DIAO, Yanan ZHAO, Tao YU. Influence of helical geometry on flow and heat transfer characteristics of helical tri-lobe fuel[J]. NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES, 2025, 48(6): 060601

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    Paper Information

    Category: NUCLEAR ENERGY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

    Received: Aug. 9, 2024

    Accepted: --

    Published Online: Jul. 25, 2025

    The Author Email: Yanan ZHAO (赵亚楠)

    DOI:10.11889/j.0253-3219.2025.hjs.48.240323

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