Title: Uncertainty assessment of the experimental thermal-hydraulic parameters for CDTN TRIGA research reactor

Authors: Amir Zacarias Mesquita; Luiz Carlos Duarte Ladeira; Daniel Artur Pinheiro Palma; Maritza Rodríguez Gual

Addresses: Nuclear Technology Development Centre - CDTN, Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN, Campus da UFMG - Pampulha, P.O. Box 941, ZIP Code: 30.123-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil ' Nuclear Technology Development Centre - CDTN, Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN, Campus da UFMG - Pampulha, P.O. Box 941, ZIP Code: 30.123-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil ' Nuclear Technology Development Centre - CDTN, Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN, Campus da UFMG - Pampulha, P.O. Box 941, ZIP Code: 30.123-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil ' Nuclear Technology Development Centre - CDTN, Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission - CNEN, Campus da UFMG - Pampulha, P.O. Box 941, ZIP Code: 30.123-970, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

Abstract: Experimental studies have been performed in the TRIGA Nuclear Reactor at Nuclear Technology Development Centre (CDTN), Brazil, to find out its thermal hydraulic parameters. Fuel to coolant heat transfer patterns must be evaluated as function of the reactor power. The heat generated by nuclear fission in the reactor core is transferred from fuel elements to the cooling system through the fuel-cladding (gap), and the cladding to coolant interfaces. As the reactor core power increases the heat transfer regime from the fuel cladding to the coolant changes. This paper presents the uncertainty analysis in the results of the thermal hydraulics experiments performed. The uncertainty analysis on thermal hydraulics parameters is determined, basically, by the uncertainty of the reactor's thermal power.

Keywords: thermal hydraulics; thermohydraulics; temperature; heat transfer; fuel rods; uncertainty assessment; TRIGA research reactor; nuclear reactors; nuclear energy; nuclear power; Brazil; cooling systems; fuel cladding; coolant changes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2016.078957

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2016 Vol.10 No.3, pp.201 - 216

Received: 18 Jan 2016
Accepted: 24 Jun 2016
Published online: 06 Sep 2016 *

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