Numerical Research on Melt Pool Flow Characteristics Under Rolling Condition

Abstract

In-vessel-retention (IVR) has become an important subject of severe accident mitigation strategy. Up to now, many experimental and numerical investigations have been performed on the natural convection characteristics in melt pools with volumetric heating. But these studies are limited to the melt pools under static condition. As floating nuclear reactors become increasingly popular among both commercial and military ships, for successful application of IVR in this occasion, research should be done on the heat transfer characteristics of melt pool under moving conditions. Currently, the specially-designed facility is under construction in Xi'an China for the relevant experiment and numerical studies are performed beforehand. In this paper, a hemisphere with an inner radius of 0.5m, similar to LIVE experimental facility, is chosen to simulate the melt pool. Its flow behaviors under periodic rolling condition are simulated by means of CFD calculation. This work may cast a light on the melt pool characteristics under moving conditions and could be further evaluated by future experimental data.