Computational Fluid Dynamics for nuclear applications: from CFD to multi-scale CMFD

New trends in computational methods for nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics are discussed; traditionally, these have been based on the two-fluid model. Although CFD computations for single phase flows are commonplace, Computational Multi-Fluid Dynamics (CMFD) is still under development. One-fluid methods coupled with interface tracking techniques provide interesting opportunities and enlarge the scope of problems that can be solved. For certain problems, one may have to conduct “cascades” of computations at increasingly finer scales to resolve all issues. The case study of condensation of steam/air mixtures injected from a downward-facing vent into a pool of water and a proposed CMFD initiative to numerically model Critical Heat Flux (CHF) illustrate such cascades. For the venting problem, a variety of tools are used: a system code for system behaviour; an interface-tracking method (Volume of Fluid, VOF) to examine the behaviour of large bubbles; direct-contact condensation can be treated either by Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) or by analytical methods.