Effect of cladding on thermal behavior of nuclear fuel element with non-uniform heat generation

Abstract

In nuclear power reactors if the maximum temperature (2000ᵒC) of the fuel element like Uranium-dioxide increments and reaches 2865ᵒC then the fuel element melts down leading to heavy loss and damage. To maintain this maximum temperature well below the allowable limit the heat in the fuel element should be conducted and dissipated to the surrounding medium. In this article, the numerical prediction and comparison of thermal performance characteristics of a nuclear fuel element with and without cladding (bare fuel element) having non-uniform energy generation in axial direction is studied in detail. Accordingly, the two-dimensional heat conduction equation having a cosine variation of heat generation term in the axial direction, along with appropriate boundary conditions is solved using second order accurate finite difference schemes. The results are presented for a wide range of parameters like Aspect Ratio Ar, Biot number, Bi, Conductivity ratio, Cr, Thickness ratio, Th, and total heat generation parameter, Qt in the form of transverse temperature profiles and axial temperature profiles. Effect of Cr and Th due to presence of cladding is thoroughly studied. Different range of parameters for which the temperature of the fuel element is within the maximum temperature range is obtained. Critical values of these parameters for which the temperature increments above maximum temperature is also investigated. From the detailed discussion of the results it is concluded that the maximum temperature attained in the fuel element without cladding (bare fuel element) is very much higher than that attained in fuel element with cladding. Also it is observed that for fixed values of Ar, Cr and Th, there exists a critical value of Qt and Bi beyond and below which maximum temperature in the fuel element exceeds its allowable limit.