Thermal-hydraulic analysis of Al_2O_3 nanofluid as a coolant in Canadian supercritical water reactor by porous media approach

摘要

In this study, thermal-hydraulic analysis of Canadian Supercritical Water Reactor (Canadian SCWR) with nanofluid coolant has been done by porous media approach. In the applied analysis the derived conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy for coolant and conduction heat transfer equation for fuel and clad were discretised by finite volume method and solved numerically using C# program. Nanofluid coolant with various concentration of Al2O3 (Alumina) nanoparticle (up to 40% mass fraction) was selected for this study. Since in Canadian SCWR coolant and moderator are separated, higher mass fraction of nanofluid can be applied in this concept. The achieved results show that by increasing Al2O3 mass fraction, coolant heat transfer coefficient and average coolant temperature grow up in the middle of the core and pressure drop will be raised. Average clad and fuel temperature in the core was calculated. The results show that by using Alumina nanofluid with 40% nanoparticle mass fraction, maximum clad wall and fuel temperatures decrease about 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C respectively.