Numerical simulation of the thermal state of the dry storage chamber for spent nuclear fuel from VVER reactors


Аuthors

Kazyulin A. N.1, 2*, Solonenko V. A.2, Yashchuk A. A.2, Butov V. G.2

1. Mining and Chemical Complex, 53, Lenina str., Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk region, 662972, Russia
2. Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave., Tomsk, Tomsk region, 634050, Russia

*e-mail: kandr@mail.ru

Abstract

The process of conjugate heat exchange in the dry storage chamber for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under conditions of natural cooling air movement has been investigated using numerical modeling. The problem was considered in a three-dimensional formulation taking into account the processes of natural convection, heat conduction and radiation. The mathematical model was created using the ANSYS CFX software. As a result of calculating the heat exchange inside the socket and the storage canisters, specific heat flux over the height of the socket distribution graphs on the outer surface of the storage canisters and the inner surface of the storage socket were obtained. It was determined that the main influence on the distribution of heat flux in height is exerted by convection and radiation. The resulting specific heat flux distribution was used to determine the heat load on the wall of the socket in the model of the SNF dry storage chamber. The designed mathematical model of the SNF dry storage chamber thermal state has been validated according to experimental data from a real object – the operating chamber of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Mining and Chemical Complex” SNF dry storage (hereinafter – HOT-2). The parameters of the dry storage chamber thermal state, obtained through calculations using the numerical model of the chamber, show good agreement with measured experimental data at different seasons. A numerical study of the HOT-2 dry storage chamber thermal condition was carried out at full SNF load with a decay heat output of 350 and 500 watts for each spent fuel assembly. According to the research results, it was determined that the existing heat removal system and the design of the HOT-2 ensure the safe storage of spent fuel under the specified conditions. It was also determined that the most heat-stressed area of the concrete enclosure of the storage chamber is located in the middle of the wall separating the chambers from each other, in its upper part. The developed model can be used to assess and predict the thermal state of the dry storage facility when storing spent fuel from VVER-type reactors, including those with increased heat release.

Keywords:

numerical simulation, heat transfer, natural convection, spent nuclear fuel, dry storage of SNF

References

  1. Krainov AYu, Min’kov LL, Seelev IN et al. Numerical investigation of the air heat-mass transfer in the chamber of dry storage for spent nuclear fuel. Vestnik Tomskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Matematika i Mekhanika, 2017;(47):75–86. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17223/19988621/47/8
  2. Lee SY, Sindelar RL, Losey DC. Thermal modeling and performance analysis of interim dry storage and geologic disposal facilities for spent nuclear fuel. Nuclear Technology, 2000;(131:1):124–151. DOI: 10.13182/NT00-A3108
  3. Herranz LE, Penalva J, Feria F. CFD analysis of a cask for spent fuel dry storage: model fundamentals and sensitivity studies. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2015;(76): 54–62. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2014.09.032
  4. Tseng YS, JWang JR, Tsai FP et al. Thermal design investigation of a new tube-type dry-storage system through CFD simulations. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2011;(38): 1088–1097. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2011.01.001
  5. Kim T, Kim K, Lee D et al. Conceptual design, development, and preliminary safety evaluation of a PWR dry storage module for spent nuclear fuel. Applied Sciences, 2022;(12). DOI: 10.3390/app12094587
  6. Li J, Liu YY. Thermal modeling of a vertical dry storage cask for used nuclear fuel. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2016;(301):74–88. DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.201 6.01.008
  7. Bezyukov OK, Afanasyev PM. Numerical simulations of spent nuclear fuel storage case thermal state for a dry chamber-type storage. Modern Science and Innovations, 2019;(1):44–55. DOI: 10.33236/2307-910X-2019-25-1-44-55
  8. Chang HY, Chen RH, Lai CM. Numerical simulation of the thermal performance of a dry storage cask for spent nuclear fuel. Energies, 2018;(11(1)). DOI: 10.3390/en11 010149
  9. Alyokhina SV, Goloshchapov VN, Kostikov AO. Thermal state of ventilated concrete cask with spent nuclear fuel in the conditions of exterior airflow leaking. Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy, 2009;10(2):171–177.
  10. Poskas R, Simonis V, Poskas P. Thermal analysis of CASTOR RBMK-1500 casks during long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2017; (99):40–46. DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2016.09.031
  11. DeVoe R.R., Robb K.R., Skutnik S.E. Sensitivity analysis for best-estimate thermal models of vertical dry cask storage systems. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2017;(320):282–297. DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.06.005
  12. Kalinkin VI. Justification of the method of dry storage of spent nuclear fuel of NPPs with RBMK-1000 and VVER-1000 reactors. Ph.D. thesis. Saint Petersburg: Sankt-Peterburgskii gosudarstvennyi politekhnicheskii universitet, 2007, 172 p. (In Russ.).
  13. Menter FR. Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications. AIAA Journal, 1994;32(8):1598–1605. DOI: 10.2514/3.12149
  14. Kazyulin AN, Yashchuk AA. An experimental study of passive heat removal from the dry spent nuclear fuel storage chamber at the different parameters of environment. Thermal processes in engineering, 2024;16(3):116–126. (In Russ.).
  15. Kazyulin AN, Yashchuk AA. Influence of meteorological parameters on heat removal from dry storage chambers for spent nuclear fuel. I Vserossijskaya nauchnaya konferenciya s mezhdunarodnym uchastiem “Enisejskaja teplofizika – 2023” (28–31 marta 2023 goda, Krasnojarsk): tezisy dokladov [I All-Russian Scientific Conference with International Participation “Yenisei Thermophysics – 2023”]. Ed by D.V. Platonov. Krasnojarsk: Sibirskij federal’nyj universitet, 2023, pp. 273–275. (In Russ.).

mai.ru — informational site of MAI

Copyright © 2009-2025 by MAI