Title: Simplified model to predict the maximum temperature locations in PWR core

Authors: Muhammad Eissa; M. Naguib Aly; Alya Badawi

Addresses: Nuclear Power Plants Authority, Cairo, Egypt ' Deceased; formerly of: Alexandria University, Egypt ' Nuclear & Radiation Engineering Department, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract: Multi-group diffusion depletion 3D code TRITON was used to calculate the power density profile for a 2775 MW PWR core. TRITON was run for different control rod axial positions at full power: (a) all the control rods are outside the core and (b) control rod group D position at 220 cm with length 213 cm in core. Depending on the axial power density shape, a suitable function was chosen to fit the power density. This function was used to evaluate the temperature distribution in the core. A MATLAB script was used to predict the temperature distribution. The maximum temperatures for the coolant, clad and fuel centre were determined for each control rod position. The maximum temperature locations, when all the control rods were outside the core, were found to exist in assembly (F6), and the vicinity of the centre of the core in assemblies that are burnable absorber free. When control rod group D was inserted in the core in steps, a significant number of high temperatures were found on the same axial position or became closer to the centre of the core.

Keywords: maximum fuel temperature; temperature distribution; power density; TRITON; control rods; rod axial position; modelling; maximum temperature location; PWR core; pressurised water reactors; nuclear reactors; nuclear energy; nuclear power plants; NPP.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2015.071619

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2015 Vol.9 No.2, pp.131 - 148

Received: 20 Oct 2014
Accepted: 07 May 2015
Published online: 04 Sep 2015 *

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