N12: Reactor Thermal Hydraulics

This unit aims to:

Describe the thermal hydraulic processes involved in the transfer of power from the core to the secondary systems of a nuclear reactor plant and produce competence in the fundamentals of the calculations associated with these processes. 

Brief description of the unit

In the unit you will learn about:

• Introduction to reactor thermal hydraulics  
• Heat transfer by conduction 
• Heat transfer by convection 
• Boiling heat transfer 
• Fluid flow 
• Thermal hydraulic design 
• Steam and gas power cycles 

Intended Learning Outcomes

Derive equations for conductive heat transfer in various nuclear fuel elements and evaluate fuel and clad temperatures in the core of a reactor against appropriate thermal hydraulic criteria by applying them.

Describe and explain single phase and multiphase convective heat transfer in coolant channels in nuclear reactor cores with various fuel element arrangements.

Estimate heat transfer rates and surface temperatures in nuclear reactor cores by selection and application of appropriate convective heat transfer coefficients.

Explain single phase and multiphase fluid dynamics in coolant channels in nuclear reactor cores with various fuel element arrangements.

Analyse flow rates and coolant pressures in a nuclear reactor cooling system based on fundamental physics principles and the use of empirical correlations.

Explain typical thermal hydraulic safety criteria applied in the core of a nuclear reactor and describe an overview of the typical safety systems used to ensure the thermal hydraulic safety criteria are not exceeded.

Explain the phenomenon of critical heat flux as a thermal hydraulic limit and use appropriate methods to evaluate the CHF in a heated channel.

Explain the primary models used in industry thermal hydraulic codes including considerations arising from the numerical solution of the governing equations and use an industry thermal hydraulic code to assess a heated channel against limiting thermal hydraulic criteria.

Describe and explain a range of thermodynamic cycles used for power conversion in light water and gas cooled nuclear.