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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 937 records · Page 52
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Type Ia Supernova Explosions From Hybrid Carbon–Oxygen–Neon White Dwarf Progenitors

Motivated by recent results in stellar evolution that predict the existence of hybrid white dwarf (WD) stars with a C–O core inside an O–Ne shell, we simulate thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae from these hybrid progenitors. We use the FLASH code to perform multidimensional simulations in the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) explosion paradigm. Our hybrid progenitor models were produced with the MESA stellar evolution code and include the effects of the Urca process, and we map the progenitor model to the FLASH grid. We performed a suite of DDT simulations over a range of ignition conditions consistent with the progenitor's thermal and convective structure assuming multiple ignition points. To compare the results from these hybrid WD stars to previous results from C–O WDs, we construct a set of C–O WD models with similar properties and similarly simulate a suite of explosions. We find that despite significant variability within each suite, trends distinguishing the explosions are apparent in their ${}^{56}\mathrm{Ni}$ yields and the kinetic properties of the ejecta. We compare our results with other recent work that studies explosions from these hybrid progenitors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Density functional theory calculations of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of point defects in β -U

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of point defects in the β phase of uranium are reported. Defect energies and entropies were calculated using 2 x 2 x 2 supercells and the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) for the exchange-correlation potential. Due to computational cost, calculations of the vibrational properties governing entropies were performed by only displacing atoms within (roughly) the 3rd or 4th nearest neighbor shell of the defect, which implicitly assumes that atoms beyond this distance are unaffected by the defect. Migration barriers were estimated by nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations. The low symmetry of the β-U phase (the unit cell is tetragonal and contains 30 atoms) results in many point defect configurations and even more migration pathways. A connectivity map, starting from the most stable point defects, was developed in order to identify the rate-limiting step controlling the net diffusion rate in each crystallographic direction. The uranium self-diffusivity tensor was calculated by combining the defect formation energies, entropies, migration barriers and attempt frequencies. The fastest diffusion rate was determined to be a vacancy mechanism in the z crystallographic direction. The predicted uranium self-diffusivity for this mechanism agrees well with available experimental data. Finally, the diffusion mechanisms and rates identified in this study will inform fuel performance models of swelling and gas evolution.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Exclusive quasi-free proton knockout from oxygen isotopes at intermediate energies

The dependence of the single-particle strength on the difference between proton and neutron separation energies is studied for oxygen isotopes in a wide range of isospins. The cross sections of the quasi-free (p,2p) reaction on 14,16,18,22,24 O were measured at intermediate energies. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions based on the distorted wave impulse approximation and shell-model psd valence-space spectroscopic factors. The reduction factors, which are the ratio of the experimental cross sections to the theoretical predictions, show no apparent dependence on the proton–neutron separation energy difference. The result is compatible with the results of the (e,e'p) reaction on stable targets and with the predicitons of recent ab initio calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

High-energy X-ray imaging of the pulsar wind nebula MSH 15–52: constraints on particle acceleration and transport

We present the first images of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) MSH 15–52 in the hard X-ray band (≳8 keV), as measured with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). Overall, the morphology of the PWN as measured by NuSTAR in the 3-7 keV band is similar to that seen in Chandra high-resolution imaging. However, the spatial extent decreases with energy, which we attribute to synchrotron energy losses as the particles move away from the shock. The hard-band maps show a relative deficit of counts in the northern region toward the RCW 89 thermal remnant, with significant asymmetry. We find that the integrated PWN spectra measured with NuSTAR and Chandra suggest that there is a spectral break at 6 keV, which may be explained by a break in the synchrotron-emitting electron distribution at ∼200 TeV and/or imperfect cross calibration. We also measure spatially resolved spectra, showing that the spectrum of the PWN softens away from the central pulsar B1509–58, and that there exists a roughly sinusoidal variation of spectral hardness in the azimuthal direction. We discuss the results using particle flow models. We find non-monotonic structure in the variation with distance of spectral hardness within 50'' of the pulsar moving in the jet direction, which may imply particle and magnetic-field compression by magnetic hoop stress as previously suggested for this source. We also present two-dimensional maps of spectral parameters and find an interesting shell-like structure in the N {sub H} map. We discuss possible origins of the shell-like structure and their implications.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2014

High-Energy X-Ray Imaging of the Pulsar Wind Nebula MSH 15-52: Constraints on Particle Acceleration and Transport

We present the first images of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) MSH 15−52 in the hard X-ray band (8 keV), as measured with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). Overall, the morphology of the PWN as measured by NuSTAR in the 3-7 keV band is similar to that seen in Chandra high-resolution imaging. However, the spatial extent decreases with energy, which we attribute to synchrotron energy losses as the particles move away from the shock. The hard-band maps show a relative deficit of counts in the northern region toward the RCW 89 thermal remnant, with significant asymmetry. We find that the integrated PWN spectra measured with NuSTAR and Chandra suggest that there is a spectral break at 6 keV, which may be explained by a break in the synchrotron emitting electron distribution at approximately 200 TeV and/or imperfect cross calibration. We also measure spatially resolved spectra, showing that the spectrum of the PWN softens away from the central pulsar B1509−58, and that there exists a roughly sinusoidal variation of spectral hardness in the azimuthal direction. We discuss the results using particle flow models. We find non-monotonic structure in the variation with distance of spectral hardness within 50 of the pulsar moving in the jet direction, which may imply particle and magnetic-field compression by magnetic hoop stress as previously suggested for this source. We also present two-dimensional maps of spectral parameters and find an interesting shell-like structure in the N(sub H) map. We discuss possible origins of the shell-like structure and their implications.

individual objects: G320.4-1.2↗
DOE OSTI2019

No-core shell model calculations of the photonuclear cross section of 10B

Results of ab initio no-core, shell model calculations for the photonuclear cross section of 10B are presented using realistic two-nucleon (NN) chiral forces up to next-to-next-to-next-order (N3LO) softened by the similarity renormalization group method (SRG) with λ=2.02 fm -1 . The electric-dipole response function is calculated using the Lanczos method, with the effects of the continuum included via neutron escape widths derived from R-matrix theory and using the Lorentz integral transform method. The calculated cross section agrees well with experimental data in terms of structure as well as in absolute peak height, σ max =4.85 mb at photon energy ω=23.61 MeV, and integrated cross section 85.36 MeV. mb. We also test the Brink hypothesis by calculating the electric-dipole response for the first nine positive-parity states with J≠0 in 10 B and verify that dipole excitations built upon the ground and excited states have similar characteristics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A tunable dielectric resonator for axion searches at 11 GHz

In the context of axion search with haloscopes, tunable cavity resonators with high quality factor and high effective volume at frequencies above about 8 GHz are central for probing the axion-photon coupling with the required sensitivity to reach the QCD axion models. Higher order modes in dielectrically-loaded cavities allow for higher effective volumes and larger quality factors compared to basic cylindrical cavities, but a proper cavity frequency tuning mechanism to probe broad axion mass ranges is yet not available. In this work, we report about the design and construction of a tunable prototype of a single-shell dielectric resonator with its axion-sensitive pseudo-TM$_{030}$ high-order mode at about 11 GHz frequency. A clamshell tuning method previously tested for empty cylindrical resonators has been perfected for this geometry through simulations and in situ tests conducted at cryogenic temperature. Tuning is accomplished in a range of about 2 $\%$ the central frequency, without significantly impacting the quality factor of about 175000. The experimental results presented in this work demonstrate the tunability of this type of resonator, definitely confirming its applicability to high frequency axion searches.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Deuteron-induced nucleon transfer reactions within an ab initio framework: First application to p -shell nuclei

Low-energy transfer reactions in which a proton is stripped from a deuteron projectile and dropped into a target play a crucial role in the formation of nuclei in both primordial and stellar nucleosynthesis, as well as in the study of exotic nuclei using radioactive beam facilities and inverse kinematics. Here, ab initio approaches have been successfully applied to describe the 3 H(d,n) 4 He and 3 He(d,p) 4 He fusion processes. An ab initio treatment of transfer reactions would also be desirable for heavier targets. In this work, we extend the ab initio description of (d,p) reactions to processes with light p-shell nuclei. As a first application, we study the elastic scattering of deuterium on 7 Li and the 7 Li(d,p) 8 Li transfer reaction based on a two-body Hamiltonian. We use the no-core shell model to compute the wave functions of the nuclei involved in the reaction, and describe the dynamics between targets and projectiles with the help of microscopic-cluster states in the spirit of the resonating group method. The shapes of the excitation functions for deuterons impinging on 7 Li are qualitatively reproduced up to the deuteron breakup energy. The interplay between d– 7 Li and p– 8 Li particle-decay channels determines some features of the 9 Be spectrum above the d+ 7 Li threshold. Our prediction for the parity of the 17.298 MeV resonance is at odds with the experimental assignment. Deuteron stripping reactions with p-shell targets can now be computed ab initio , but calculations are very demanding. Finally, a quantitative description of the 7 Li(d,p) 8 Li reaction will require further work to include the effect of three-nucleon forces and additional decay channels and to improve the convergence rate of our calculations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Plan for Post-Irradiation Examination of Zion Reactor Pressure Vessel Beltline Materials

The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is a potentially life-limiting component in light-water reactors (LWR) because replacement of the RPV is not considered a viable option. Researchers studying the effects of radiation on RPV materials have long been interested in evaluating service-irradiated materials to assess currently available models for predicting radiation embrittlement of RPV steels. The decommissioning of the Zion Unit 1 NPP in Zion, Illinois presents a unique opportunity for characterization of an actual reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material after inservice degradation. The main interests in this case are the belt-line weld and base metals. Through-RPV wall thickness attenuation and chemical composition distributions are the obvious objectives of this characterization program. However, it also provides an opportunity to examine the inservice degradation and its comparison with currently available models for prediction of radiation embrittlement of RPV steels. All of these efforts will provide a better understanding of materials degradation and other issues associated with extending the lifetime of existing NPPs beyond 60 years of service. The primary foci are the Linde 80 flux, wire heat 72105 (WF-70) circumferential belt-line weld and the A533B-1 base metal from the intermediate shell harvested from a region of peak fluence (0.7 x 10{sup 19} n/cm{sup 2}, E > 1.0 MeV) on the internal surface of the Zion Unit 1 vessel. Following determination of the through-thickness chemical composition, Charpy impact, fracture toughness, tensile, and hardness testing will be being performed to characterize the through-thickness mechanical properties of the base metal and belt-line-weld materials. In addition to mechanical properties, microstructural characterizations will be performed using various techniques, including Atom Probe Tomography, Small Angle Neutron Scattering, and Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Efficient Mesofluidic Separation of Large Particles in nuclear slurries - 20408

Efficient and effective particle separation is essential to cleanup of many nuclear wastes. For example, particle separation may be used to accelerate settle-decant bottlenecks that limit the throughput necessary to achieve the U.S. Department of Energy waste cleanup mission in a timely manner. Particle separation may be used to protect downstream processing equipment from pulses of solids that may be encountered near (within a few feet of) liquid-solid interfaces during waste transfer operations, thereby preventing work stoppages. Effective particle separation may permit efficient sludge washing. These are only a few of the ways in which particle separation is important. Yet, efficient and effective particle separation in nuclear processing environments remains challenging. For example, settle-decant operations permit larger and heavier particles to settle, leaving smaller, lighter particles suspended. However, settle-decant operations are slow, convection currents may resuspend solids, hindered settling of multicomponent slurries remains incompletely understood, and predictive models for settling in graduated cylinders fail to match limited observations of settling in large waste tanks. Additionally, pumping operations can cause turbulent resuspension of particles when the pump intake is close to the settled solids layer. Filtration techniques that use membranes or partially permeable barriers retain larger particles, permitting smaller particles to permeate. However, filters, including dead-end filtration, are prone to clogging and caking, operate at elevated pressures due to minimal void volume, and increase in pressure during operations, which require more control systems. Therefore, the need for high throughput particle separation techniques that operate with modest pressure drops persists. A novel mesofluidic separator presents the opportunity to effectively and efficiently accelerate the waste cleanup mission. The separator separates large particles from process streams across a broad range of particle sizes and has no moving parts or media to replace, regenerate, or clean. This separator design has an unusually large void volume, permitting operation at much higher flow rates (and lower pressures) than traditional filtration (e.g., dead-end filtration). Industrial-scale flow rates have been demonstrated. In performance testing, mesofluidic separators operate at might flow rates (>90 gpm (0.0006 m{sup 3}/s) in piping 3 inches (0.08 m) in diameter; Re>10{sup 5}), with modest pressure drop (∼25 psi (170 KPa) in testing). In complex, aggregating waste simulants, the separator loses <25% of flow projected over months without back pulsing or chemical cleaning. Mesofluidic separation presents infrastructure advantages, reduces risk, and provides mission impact. Infrastructure advantages include implementation within existing transfer systems, plug and play without facility modifications to safety systems, and operation at low pressures. The separator is flexible in location, may be positioned within or outside of waste tanks, and may replace or augment dead-end and cross-flow filters. Mesofluidic separation reduces risk by minimizing waste (no media to replace or regenerate and no cleaning chemicals to handle and dispose) and by minimizing filter change-out consistent with as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) exposure to workers. The potential mission impact of these separators is substantial. The separator has potential to support, simplify, and accelerate in-farm transfers and waste feed delivery. Furthermore, the separator can free up settling and holding tanks in the Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) mission by reducing or eliminating post-transfer settling and wait times with the potential to free up 1 Mgal (4000 m{sup 3}) of double-shell tank space. This paper quantitatively compares mesofluidic separation to dead-end filtration, discusses scale-up results, and considers the separator's potential to efficiently and effectively reduce the long-term environmental ability of particulate-rich nuclear wastes. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

New low-energy 0 + state and shape coexistence in Ni 70

We report that in recent models, the neutron-rich Ni isotopes around N=40 are predicted to exhibit multiple low-energy excited 0 + states attributed to neutron and proton excitations across both the N=40 and Z=28 shell gaps. In 68 Ni, the three observed 0 + states have been interpreted in terms of triple shape coexistence between spherical, oblate, and prolate deformed shapes. In the present work a new (0 2 + ) state at an energy of 1567 keV has been discovered in 70 Ni by using β-delayed, γ-ray spectroscopy following the decay of 70 Co. The precipitous drop in the energy of the prolate-deformed 0 + level between 68 Ni and 70 Ni with the addition of two neutrons compares favorably with results of Monte Carlo shell-model calculations carried out in the large f pg9/2 d 5/2 model space, which predict a 0 2 + state at 1525 keV in 70 Ni. Finally, the result extends the shape-coexistence picture in the region to 70 Ni and confirms the importance of the role of the tensor component of the monopole interaction in describing the structure of neutron-rich nuclei.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Collectivity in A ~ 70 nuclei studied via lifetime measurements in 70 Br and 68,70 Se

Transition strengths for decays from low-lying states in A ~ 70 nuclei have been deduced from lifetime measurements using the recoil distance Doppler shift technique. The results confirm the collectivity previously reported for the 2$+\atop{1}$→ 0$+\atop{gs}$ decay in 68 Se and reveal a relative decrease in collectivity in 70 Br. This trend is reproduced by shell model calculations using the GXPF1A interaction in an fp model space including the Coulomb, spin-orbit and isospin non-conserving interactions. The 3$+\atop{1}$ → 2$+\atop{1}$ decay in 70Br is found to have a very small B(M1) value, which is consistent with the configuration of the state being dominated by the coupling of f 5/2 protons and neutrons. The results suggest that the g 9/2 orbit does not play an important role at low spin in these nuclei. The B(E2) values for the decays of the (T = 1) 2$+\atop{1}$ states in 70 Br and 70 Se are almost identical, suggesting there is no major shape change between the two nuclei at low spin.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Pushered single shell implosions for mix and radiation trapping studies using high-Z layers on National Ignition Facility

Pushered Single Shells (PSSs) are another approach to Inertial Confinement Fusion implosions that employ high-Z materials in the innermost capsule layer (pusher) as a means to enhance radiation trapping and lower core ignition requirements. However, adding high-Z materials can also increase losses due to mix, provide extra tamping, and make the capsule emission opaque to x-ray diagnostics. The first PSS implosions performed on the National Ignition Facility use plastic ablators with a germanium (Ge) dopant as a high-Z surrogate in the pusher to isolate the effects of high-Z mix and radiation trapping without changing tamping. Using a 2-shock laser pulse, the PSS implosions are designed and symmetrized to reach 3.7 keV core temperatures. A low concentration (2.8%) Ge dopant is added to the innermost layer, and the resulting effects on mix and x-ray opacity are observed. The method of separated reactants is used to infer information about mixing between the deuterated plastic pusher and the capsule fill gas (25% tritium) from the resulting nuclear DT reactions. Radiation transport is studied via capsule emission x-ray spectroscopy and imaging. Both nuclear and x-ray data corroborate the hypothesis that the addition of Ge strongly affects the mix region through radiation losses but has a minimal effect on the core and the warm, unmixed regions. Simulations using diffusive and turbulent mix models agree qualitatively with data, but quantitative agreement may require hybrid mix models that can model the transitional regime between turbulence and diffusion. Simulations matching the observables show increased core radiation trapping when Ge is added.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impact of the Latest 22 Ne+ α Reaction Rates on Nucleosynthesis in Massive Stars and Galactic Chemical Evolution

In massive stars (initial mass of ≳9 M ⊙ ), the weak s- (slow neutron capture) process produces elements between Fe and Zr, enriching the Galaxy with these elements through core-collapse supernova explosions. The weak s-process nucleosynthesis is driven by neutrons produced in the 22 Ne(α, n) 25 Mg reaction during convective He core and C shell burning. The yields of heavy elements thus depend on the 22 Ne(α, n) 25 Mg and the competitive 22 Ne(α, γ) 26 Mg reaction rates, which are dominated by several narrow-resonance reactions. While the accuracy of these rates has been under debate for decades, recent experimental efforts, including ours, drastically reduced these uncertainties. In this work, we use a set of 280 massive star nucleosynthesis models calculated using different 22 Ne(α, n) 25 Mg and 22 Ne(α, γ) 26 Mg rates and a galactic chemical evolution (GCE) study to probe their impact on the weak s-process elemental abundances in the Galaxy. The GCE was computed with the OMEGA+ code, using the new sets of stellar yields with different 22 Ne+α rates. From GCE, we find that these rates are causing up to 0.45 dex of variations in the [Cu/Fe], [Ga/Fe], and [Ge/Fe] ratios predicted at solar metallicity. The greatest impact on the stellar nucleosynthesis and GCE results derives from uncertainties in the (α, n) strength (ωγ (α,n) ) of the E x = 11.32 MeV resonance. We show that variations observed in the GCE calculations for weak s-process elements become negligibly smaller than dispersions found in observations once the ωγ (α,n) is accurately determined within the uncertainty of 10%–20% (typically reported experimental errors for the resonance) in future nuclear physics experiments.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

UHE neutrino and cosmic ray emission from GRBs: Revising the models and clarifying the cosmic ray-neutrino connection

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have long been held as one of the most promising sources of ultra-high energy (UHE) neutrinos. The internal shock model of GRB emission posits the joint production of UHE cosmic rays (UHECRs, above 10{sup 8} GeV), photons, and neutrinos, through photohadronic interactions between source photons and magnetically-confined energetic protons, that occur when relativistically-expanding matter shells loaded with baryons collide with one another. While neutrino observations by IceCube have now ruled out the simplest version of the internal shock model, we show that a revised calculation of the emission, together with the consideration of the full photohadronic cross section and other particle physics effects, results in a prediction of the prompt GRB neutrino flux that still lies one order of magnitude below the current upper bounds, as recently exemplified by the results from ANTARES. In addition, we show that by allowing protons to directly escape their magnetic confinement without interacting at the source, we are able to partially decouple the cosmic ray and prompt neutrino emission, which grants the freedom to fit the UHECR observations while respecting the neutrino upper bounds. Finally, we briefly present advances towards pinning down the precise relation between UHECRs and UHE neutrinos, including the baryonic loading required to fit UHECR observations, and we will assess the role that very large volume neutrino telescopes play in this.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Signature splitting of the g 7 / 2 [ 404 ] 7 / 2 + bands in Ba 131 and Ce 133

Excited states in Ba 131 and Ce 133 were studied using in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy through the Sn 122 ( C 13 , 4 n ) Ba 131 and Te 125 ( C 12 , 4 n ) Ce 133 reactions, respectively. A strongly coupled band, associated with the ν g 7 / 2 [ 404 ] 7 / 2 + configuration, was identified in Ba 131 and Ce 133 . It is the first time to observe the ν g 7 / 2 [ 404 ] 7 / 2 + bands in the N = 75 isotones. The signature partners exhibit considerable energy splitting in comparison with those in the π g 7 / 2 [ 404 ] 7 / 2 + bands in the odd- A Ta and Re isotopes. Here, extensive cranked shell model and quasiparticle-plus-triaxial-rotor model calculations reveal the origin of the signature splitting, which depends not only on the triaxiality, but also on the configuration mixing with nearby low- j orbitals.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SILICON CARBIDE GRAINS OF TYPE C PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE UNSTABLE ISOTOPE {sup 32}Si IN SUPERNOVAE

Carbon-rich grains are observed to condense in the ejecta of recent core-collapse supernovae (SNe) within a year after the explosion. Silicon carbide grains of type X are C-rich grains with isotopic signatures of explosive SN nucleosynthesis have been found in primitive meteorites. Much rarer silicon carbide grains of type C are a special sub-group of SiC grains from SNe. They show peculiar abundance signatures for Si and S, isotopically heavy Si, and isotopically light S, which appear to be in disagreement with model predictions. We propose that C grains are formed mostly from C-rich stellar material exposed to lower SN shock temperatures than the more common type X grains. In this scenario, extreme {sup 32}S enrichments observed in C grains may be explained by the presence of short-lived {sup 32}Si ({tau}{sub 1/2} = 153 yr) in the ejecta, produced by neutron capture processes starting from the stable Si isotopes. No mixing from deeper Si-rich material and/or fractionation of Si from S due to molecular chemistry is needed to explain the {sup 32}S enrichments. The abundance of {sup 32}Si in the grains can provide constraints on the neutron density reached during the SN explosion in the C-rich He shell material. The impact of the large uncertainty of the neutron capture cross sections in the {sup 32}Si region is discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Numerical Simulation of Isothermal Flow Across Slant Five-Tube Bundle with Spectral Element Method Code Nek5000

The helical coil steam generator (HCSG) is a specific type of shell-and-tube heat exchanger known for having a higher heat transfer coefficient than many other designs. For this reason, they are considered in small modular reactor and high temperature reactor designs. Investigation of flow behavior in HCSGs is important for better design. In this paper we present our study for modeling the coolant flow in the primary side of the HCSG. We used Nek5000, an open source, high-order spectral element computational fluid dynamics code developed in Argonne National Laboratory. Nek5000 accepts only hexahedral mesh, which makes the meshing process for the complicated HCSG geometry very challenging. A tetrahedral-to-hexahedral meshing strategy was applied to bypass the geometric complexities. In this study large eddy simulation (LES) was performed at the Reynolds number of 9000 based on the inlet velocity and the tube diameter. The employed subgrid-scale model for LES relies on explicit filtering. First- and second-order statistics were compared to available experimental data. We report overall velocity and turbulent kinetic energy showed good agreement with particle image velocimetry data.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗