Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Phase One of the OECD‐NEA / NRC Benchmark on Liquid Metal Fast Reactor Thermal Hydraulics

Abstract

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses of a 61-pin Liquid Metal Fast Reactor (LMFR) fuel bundle are performed in Fluent and compared to the experimental data available in the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) / Nuclear Regulatory Commision (NRC) Benchmark on LMFR Thermal-Hydrualics. Porous media CFD models are evaluated and compared to benchmark and subchannel code pressure drop results. The results of one bundle length (476.0 mm) are presented for all modeling strategies. The uncertainties due to mesh sizing, turbulence model, and porous media parameters are estimated. Porous media parameters were calculated based on the experimental results, leading to good agreement with CFD results. This study shows that porous media CFD modeling provides good results and would benefit from further development.