A two dimensional, two fluid model for sodium boiling in LMFBR fuel assemblies

Abstract

A two dimensional numerical model for the simulation of sodium boiling transient was developed using the two fluid set of conservation equations. A semiimplicit numerical differencing scheme capable of handling the problems associated with the ill-posedness implied by the complex characteristic roots of the two fluid problems was used, which took advantage of the dumping effect of the exchange terms. Of particular interest in the development of the model was the identi- fication of the numerical problems caused by the strong disparity between the axial and radial dimensions of fuel assemblies. A solution to this problem was found which uses the particular geometry of fuel assemblies to accelerate the convergence of the iterative technique used in the model. The most important feature of the model was its ability to simulate severe conditions of sodium boiling, in particular flow reversal, which was shown in the tests performed with the model. Three sodium boiling experiments were simulated with the model, with good agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions.