First results on the effect of fuel-cladding eccentricity
19th Symposium of AER on VVER Reactor Physics and Reactor Safety (2009, Varna, Bulgaria)
Reactor Dynamics, Thermal Hydraulics and Safety Analysis, CFD Analysis
Abstract
In the traditional fuel-behaviour or hot channel calculations it is assumed that the fuel pellet is centered within the clad. However, in the real life the pellet could be positioned asymmetrically within the clad, which leads to asymmetric gap conductance and therefore it is worthwhile to investigate the magnitude of the effect on maximal fuel temperature and surface heat flux. In this paper our first experiences are presented on this topic.