Investigation on numerical simulation models for heat transfer characteristics of lead-bismuth eutectic

The liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) has distinct thermal and physical properties that challenge the effectiveness of traditional RANS turbulence models and turbulent Prandtl number (Pr_t) models for accurately simulating its flow and heat transfer characteristics. This study aims to investigate numerical simulation models of LBE based on existing experimental data. Simulations are conducted using different combinations of three turbulence models and four Pr_t models, and comparisons are made with experimental data. The local and overall heat transfer characteristics of LBE are analyzed, and the applicability of each model combination is evaluated. Results indicate that for simulating local heat transfer characteristics, the SST k-ω turbulence model combined with the Pr_t model proposed by Cheng et al. yields the highest accuracy. Additionally, the empirical correlation for heat transfer proposed by Kutateladze provides the best prediction of the local Nusselt number. For overall heat transfer characteristics, the combination of the SST k-ω turbulence model and the Pr_t model introduced by Reynolds et al. demonstrates the highest accuracy and applicability. This investigation might offer a pivotal benchmark for the discernment of appropriate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for liquid metal breeder reactor (LMBR) applications utilizing lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as coolant.