Effects of Duct Configuration on Flow and Temperature Structure in Sodium-Cooled 19-Rod Simulated LMFBR Fuel Bundles with Helical Wire-Wrap Spacers

摘要

Thermal-hydrodynamic testing of sodium-cooled 19-rod simulated LMFBR fuel bundles is being conducted at the O ak Ridge National Laboratory in the Fuel Failure Mockup (FFM), an engineering-scale high-temperature sodium facility which provides prototypic flows, temperatures and power densities. Electrically heated bundles have been tested with two scalloped and two hexagonal duct configurations. Peripheral helical flows, attributed to the spacers, have been observed with strengths dependent upon the evenness and relative sizes of the peripheral flow areas. Diametral sodium temperature profiles are more uniform with smaller peripheral flow areas. (ERA citation 01:025839)