Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
297501 | Nuclear Engineering and Design | 2012 | 12 Pages |
Free convection circuits or natural circulation systems are employed in several engineering fields. In nuclear reactors, natural circulation can be used as a passive safety system or as a main heat transfer mechanism.This work presents the results of a three-dimensional numerical analysis of a steady state rectangular natural circulation loop located at the Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares/Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (IPEN/CNEN-SP). Numerical results and experimental data present in this paper are discussed and compared.The model is good enough to capture 3-D effects, such as the formation of vortex structures and swirl effects.
► We developed a thermal fluid dynamics numerical model for a natural circulation rectangular loop. ► We compared the numerical model to the experimental ones and showed up a good agreement. ► The three-dimensional effects, such as the formation of vortex structures and swirl e effects, were captured.