Nuclear Techniques ›› 2014, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (03): 30604-030604.

• NUCLEAR ENERGY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING •

### Feasibility research of CRDM natural circulation cooling

ZOU Peng WANG Jianjun GE Zengfang WANG Yiming

1. (Fundamental Science on Nuclear Safety and Simulation Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China)
• Received:2013-09-18 Revised:2013-12-02 Online:2014-03-10 Published:2014-03-14

Abstract:

Background: In the second generation pressurized water reactor, the Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) is mainly cooled by the blast blower, which consumes more energy and is of lower security. Based on the layout of the CRDM group in the Daya Bay nuclear power plant, the EMC-B type of CRDM is taken as research object. Purpose: The temperature distribution of the CRDM group was simulated to verify the feasiblity of natural circluation cooling of air. Methods: Several Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based programs were employed for this research. Firstly, Pro/ENGINEER was applied to establish the 3D model of the CRDM group; then the geometrical model was meshed with ICEM; finally, the flow field and temperature distribution were solved by using FLUENT. Results: The temperature field of the CRDM can be divided into three regions, and the temperature of the middle CRDM was highest, while the temperature of the region between the middle and outside regions was lowest due to the relative weak convection. The highest coil temperature is 198 °C, below the limit value of 200°C. Conclusion: The CRDM and the coils may be cooled effectively by natural convection of air under given conditions.