Analysis of fluid flow and heat transfer model for the pebble bed high temperature gas cooled reactor

The pebble bed type high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactor is a promising option for next generation reactor technology and has the potential to provide high efficiency and cost effective electricity generation. The reactor unit heat transfer poses a challenge due to the complexity associated with the thermalflow design. Therefore to reliably simulate the flow and heat transport of the pebble bed modular reactor necessitates a heat transfer model that deals with radiation as well as thermal convection and conduction. In this study, a model with the capability to simulate fluid flow and heat transfer in the pebble bed modular reactor core has been developed. The developed model was implemented on a personal computer using FORTRAN 95 programming language. Several important fluid flow and heat transfer parameters have been examined: including the pressure drop over the reactor core, the heat transfer coefficient, the Nusselt number and the effective thermal conductivity of the fuel pebbles. Results obtained from the simulation experiments show a uniform pressure in the radial direction for a core to fuel element diameter (D/d) ratio>20 and the heat transfer coefficient increases with increasing temperature and coolant mass flow rate. The model can adequately account for the flow and heat transfer phenomenon and the loss of pressure through friction in the pebble bed type high temperature nuclear reactor.