Gap conductance modeling I: Theoretical considerations for single- and multi-component gases in curvilinear coordinates

Abstract

Accurate estimation of heat transfer across the gap is important in nuclear fuel performance because heat transfer across the fuel-to-cladding gap heavily impacts fuel temperatures and the thermo-mechanical performance of nuclear fuel rods. Better understood physics will allow a better prediction of the gap behavior. This paper focuses on providing an overview of the gap conductance model including theoretical considerations and underlying assumptions. The gap conductance is calculated considering three summed heat paths: fill gas conductance, direct thermal radiation, and solid contact conductance. Each heat transfer mechanism is described in detail. First, the models are generalized to curvilinear coordinates for diatomic/polyatomic molecules. Traditional models use one-dimensional Cartesian equations for a monatomic gas. Second, expressions for temperature jump distance and thermal accommodation coefficients are made consistent with the kinetic theory for both single- and multi-component gases. Lastly, fill gas thermal conductivity is updated to include its dependence on rod internal pressure.