The American University in Cairo MENG 5168, Spring 2022

School of Sciences and Engineering Nuclear Power Plants Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering Prof. Salah El-Din El-Morshedy

Homework Set (3)

NA = 0.6022 x 10 atoms/mole, 1 eV = 1.60219 x 10-19 joule
24

[1] An experimental LMFBR operates at 750 MW. Sodium enters the core at 400 °C
and leaves at 560°C. At what rate must the sodium be pumped through the core?
(Specific heat of sodium = 1256 J/kgoC)

Solution:
q = m cp (Tout – Tin)
m = 750 × 106 / 1256(560 – 400) = 3732 kg/s

[2] Show that if water passes through the core of a BWR at the rate of m kg/hr, then
m g kg/hr of steam will be produced, where
q  m h f  hin 
m g 
h fg
q is the thermal power of the reactor; hf and hin are, respectively, the specific
enthalpies of the saturated water leaving the core and the water entering the core; and
hfg is the heat of vaporization per kg.

Solution:
 q  m hout  hin , hout  h f  x h fg
 q  m h f  x h fg  hin 
 m g 
 m  h f  h fg  hin 
 m 
m g
h fg   h f  hin 
q

m m
q  m h f  hin 
 m g 
h fg

[3] A BWR operates at a thermal power of 1593 MW. Water enters the bottom of the
core at 275°C and passes through the core at a rate of 48×106 kg/hr. The reactor
pressure is 70 bar. Using the result of the previous problem, compute the rate in kg/hr
at which steam is produced in this reactor.

Solution:
At Tin = 275°C hin = 1210.24 kJ/kg
At 70 bar hf = 1267.44 kJ/kg, hg = 2772.6 kJ/kg, hfg = 1505.16 kJ/kg
m g = [q – m (hf – hin)]/hfg
=[1593×103 - 48 × 106 (1267.44 - 1210.24)/3600] / 1505.16 = 551.65785 kg/s
= 551.65785 × 3600 = 1985968.26 kg/hr

[4] A small PWR plant operates at a power of 485 MWt. The core, which is
approximately 191.516 cm in diameter and 233.426 cm high, consists of a square
lattice of 23142 fuel tubes of thickness 0.5334 mm and inner diameter of 7.5692 mm
on a 10.7188 mm pitch. The tubes are filled with 3.40 w/o-enriched UO2. The core is
cooled by water, which enters at the bottom at 258°C and passes through the core at a
rate of 15.42 x 106 kg/hr at 139 bar. Compute (a) the average temperature of the water
leaving the core; (b) the average power density in kW/liter; (c) the maximum heat
production rate, assuming the reactor core is bare.

Solution:
(a) the average temperature of the water leaving the core
q = m (hout - hin)
hout = hin + q / m
at Tin = 258°C and P = 139 bar, hin = 1124.2 kJ/kg
hout = hin + q / m
= 1124.2 + 485 × 1000 / (15.42 × 106 /3600) = 1237.43 kJ/kg
at hout = 1237.43 kJ/kg and P = 139 bar, Tout = 281°C

(b) the average power density in kW/liter = q / π R2 H

= 485 × 1000 / [ π × (1.91516/2)2 × 2.33426 × 1000] = 72.126 kW/liter

(c) the maximum heat production rate, assuming the reactor core is bare
1.16 P Ed  2.405 r    z 
qr , z   J0  cos 
H a 2 n E R  R   H  
The maximum rate of heat production occurs in the middle (z = 0) of the central rod
(R = 0)
1.16 P E d
 
q max
H a 2 n ER
= 1.16 × 485 × 180 / [2.33 (0.00757/2)2 × 23142 × 200]
= 655.5 MW/m3

[5] The core of an LMFBR consists of a square lattice of 13104 fuel rods 4.0132 mm
in diameter, 77.47 cm long, on a 5.334 mm pitch. The fuel rods are 26 W/o-enriched
uranium clad in 0.127 mm stainless steel. Liquid sodium enters the core at
approximately 300°C and passes through the core at an average speed of 9.51 m/sec.
The core produces 270 MW of thermal power, with a maximum-to-average power
density of 1 .79. Calculate:
(a) the maximum heat production rate; (b) the maximum neutron flux.

Solution:
(a) the maximum heat production rate
P E R2  P Ed 
  2 d
qmax 
a n V ER  H a 2 n ER
= 270 × 180 × 1.79 / [π × 0.7747 × (0.0040132)2 × 13104 × 200]
= 846.5 MW/m3

2
(b) the maximum neutron flux
The density of the uranium is 19.1 g/cm3, 235σf = 587 barn, 238σf = 7.759 barn

26  19.1 0.6022  10 24
N ( 235U )   1.27233  10 22 atoms / cm 3
100  235.0439
74  19.1  0.6022  10 24

N 238U  100  238.0508
 3.5705  10 22 atoms cm 3
Ʃfr = (N × σf)235 + (N × σf)238
= 1.27233 × 1022 × 587 × 10-24 + 3.5705 10 22 × 7.759 × 10-24 = 7.74559 cm-1
qmax
   fr Ed max
Φmax = 846.5 / [7.74559 × 180 × 1.60219 × 10-19] = 3.7895×1018 neutrons/cm2.s

[6] The variation of the neutron flux and/or heat production rate along the z direction
in the core of a reflected reactor is often approximated by the function
 z 
  K  cos 
 H 
where K is a constant , H  is the distance between the extrapolated boundaries and is
somewhat larger than H, the actual height of the core. Show that the maximum-to-
average heat production ratio in the z direction Ωz is given by
 H 2H
z 
sin  H 2 H 

Solution:
 z 
  K cos 
 H 
ϕ = ϕmax at z = 0
 0
 max  K cos K
 H 
 z 
H /2

 K cos
 H 
 dz
 H   H     H 
 av   H / 2  K sin    sin  
H  H   2H  2 H  
H  H 
2 K sin  
H  2H
 K  H /2H
  max  
 av H  H   H 
2 K sin   sin  
H  2 H  2H

[7] The core of a fast reactor is a cylinder 38.8 cm in radius and 77.5 cm high. Two-
dimensional (r,z) multi group calculations show that the power density distribution in
the core can be represented approximately by the expression
  r 2    z 
 
P r , z  P0 1     cos 
  51    109 

3
where Po is a constant and r and z are the distances in centimeters from the axis and
the mid-plane of the core, respectively. (a) Evaluate Po in terms of the total core
power P. (b) What is the maximum-to-average power ratio in the core? (c) Calculate
the maximum-to-average power ratios in the radial and axial directions.

Solution:
(a) Evaluate Po in terms of the total core power P
H /2 R
P   P(r , z ) 2 r dr dz
H / 2 0
38.75 38.8
  r 2    z 
   Po 1     cos  2 r dr dz
 38.75 0   51    109 
 r3   z 
38.75 38.8
 2 Po  
 38.75 0


r   cos  dr dz
2601   109 
38.8
r 2
38.75
r4   z 
 2 Po     cos  dz
 38.75 
2 4  2601  0  109 
 z 
38.75
 1069.8  Po 
 38.75
cos  dz
 109 
109     38.75      38.75 
 1069.8  Po  sin    sin  
   109   109 
209597.139 Po
 P0  4.771  10 6 P

(b) What is the maximum-to-average power ratio in the core?

Pmax = P(r,z) at r = 0 and z = 0
Pmax = Po
P 209597.139 P0
Pav    0.571 P0
 R H   38.82  77.5
2

Pmax P0
   1.75
Pav 0.571 P0

(c) Calculate the maximum-to-average power ratios in the radial and axial directions.
38.8  r3 
R
 P ( r , z ) 2 r dr
2  Po  
r   dr
0
 2601
Pav ,r 0 
R 2
 (38.8) 2

38.8
r 2 r4 
2  Po  
 2 4  2601 0
  0.71 Po
 (38.8) 2
Ωr = Pmax / Pav,r = Po / 0.71 Po =1.407

4
 H /2
38.75
 z 
 P ( r , z ) dzPo  cos  dz
Pav , z  H / 2

 38.75  109 
H 77.5
109     38.75      38.75 
Po  sin    sin  
   109   109 
  0.80437 Po
77.5
Ωz = Pmax / Pav,z = Po / 0.80437 Po =1.2432

[8] Assuming that heat is generated uniformly within the fuel of a plate type fuel
element with fuel meat thickness 2a and clad thickness b, prove that the steady-state
surface heat flux can be given by:
Tm  Tb
q  
a b 1
 
2k f k c h
where Tm, Tb, kf, kc and h are the fuel center temperature, coolant bulk temperature,
fuel thermal conductivity, clad thermal conductivity and coolant convective heat
transfer coefficient respectively.

Solution:

Fuel
Clad

at

5
Coolant
Tm  Tb
q" 
a b 1
 
2k f k c h

[9] Assuming that heat is generated uniformly within the fuel of a fuel rod of radius a
and clad thickness b, prove that the steady-state surface heat flux can be given by:
T  Tb 1 ln1  b a  1
q m where R   
R 4 H k f 2 H k c hA
where Tm, Tb, kf, kc, h, H and A are the fuel center temperature, coolant bulk
temperature, fuel thermal conductivity, clad thermal conductivity, coolant convective
heat transfer coefficient, fuel rod length and the heat transfer area between clad and
coolant respectively.

Solution:
Fuel

Clad

6
Coolant

[10] The heat flux at the surface of fuel rods in an experimental reactor varies with
position as indicated in the next figure. The fuel rods are 1.27 cm. in diameter with
clad thickness 1 mm and 180 cm long. Water enters the reactor core at a temperature
of 65oC and flows through the core at a rate of 160 kg/hr per rod. The heat transfer
coefficient is 5680 W/m2oC Calculate the temperatures of the coolant, fuel rod
surface, and fuel rod center at the entrance of the channel, 90 cm up the channel, and
at its exit. (kf = 19.87 W/moC, kc = 62.5 W/moC)

q''

630000
q'', W/m2

315000

0
0 90 180
Distance along channel, cm

Solution:
a = 1.27 / 2 = 0.635cm, b = 0.1 cm
at the entrance of the channel
Tb,0 = Tin = 65oC
q0'' 315000
Tc,0  Tb,0   65   120.4 o C
h 5680

7
 Tm ,0  Tc ,0 Tm ,0  Tc , 0 2  H Tm ,0  Tc , 0 
q 0   
R f  Rc 1 ln1  b / a  1 ln1  b / a 
 
4 H k f 2 H kc 2k f kc
q 0''  2  a  b H  1 ln 1  b / a 
 Tm , 0  Tc ,0    
2 H  2 k f kc 
 1 ln1  b / a  
 Tc ,0  q0''  a  b     
 2 k f kc 
 1 ln1  0.1 / 0.635 
 120.4  315000  0.00635  0.001    
 2  19.87 62.5 
 184.1 C
o

at 90 cm up the channel
x  x 
q ' '  315000  630000  315000   315000 1  
90  90 
0.9 0.9
 x 
q0.9   q ''  x    d dx  2  a  b   315000  1  dx
0 0 0.9 
0.9
x2
 315000  2  0.00635  0.001 x   19638.6 W
1.8 0
q 19638.6 3600
Tb,0.9  Tin  0.9  65   170.7o C
m c p 160  4180
''
q 630000
Tc , 0.9  Tb , 0.9  0.9  170.7   281.6o C
h 5680
 1 ln 1  b / a 
Tm , 0.9  Tc , 0.9  q 0''.9  a  b     
 2 k f kc 
 1 ln1  0.1 / 0.635 
 281.6  630000  0.00635  0.001    
 2  19.87 62.5 
 408.9 C
o

at the channel exit

q1.8  2  q 0.9  2  19638.6  39277.2 W
q1.8 39277.2  3600
Tb ,1.8  Tin   65   276.4 o C
m c p 160  4180
q1''.8 315000
Tc ,1.8  Tb,1.8   276.4   331.9 o C
h 5680

8
  1 ln1  b / a  
Tm,1.8  Tc ,1.8  q1.8  a  b     
 2 k f kc 
 1 ln1  0.1 / 0.635 
 331.9  315000  0.00635  0.001    
 2  19.87 62.5 
 395.9 C

[11] The power distribution in the axial direction of the 3.66 m long fuel rods of a
PWR is well represented by
 z 
q  const.  cos ,
 366 
where z is in cm. The minimum DNBR is 2.1 and occurs 2.286 m up the hottest
channel, where the critical heat flux is computed to be 3.4 × 106 W/m2. The hot
channel factor for the reactor is 2.78, and the total heat transfer area is 4460 m2. D =
10.67 mm, b = 0.61 mm
Calculate (a) q '' ; (b) q '' ; (c) the operating power of the reactor.
max av

Solution:
(a) the reactor maximum heat flux
a = 10.67 / 2 = 5.335 mm
qc''
DNBR  ''
q actual
q c'' 3.4  10 6
''
q actual    1.619  10 6 W / m 2
DNBR 2 .1

z
q   q max
 cos 
 366 
1.619  10 6
 
 q max  1.75  10 6 W / m 2
   228.6 - 183 
cos 
 366 

(b) the reactor average heat flux

'''
qmax 1.75 106
q 
''
av   0.63 106 W / m 2
F 2.78

(c) the operating power of the reactor

  A  0.63  10 6  4460  2809.9 MW

P  qav

[12] Water flows in a round channel (diameter D= 2 cm, length L=2.5 m) at 0.5 kg/s
and 5 MPa. The flow is subject to a heat flux that varies axially as

9
  z 
q  qmax
 sin  
 L 
where qmax =300 kW/m2. The inlet temperature is 260oC.
i) Find the axial location, zsat, at which the coolant becomes saturated. (Useful
properties of saturated water at 5 MPa: hf = 1155 kJ/kg, hg = 2794 kJ/kg, Tsat=264oC
and at T=260oC hf = 1134.8 kJ/kg)
ii) Find the steam quality at the channel outlet.

Solution:
i) The axial location, zsat
The conservation of energy
m dh  q  z  D dz (1)
This equation can be integrated between 0 and zsat to give
  z sat 
z sat

mh f  hin    D  q   z  dz  D L q max
  1  cos 
0   L 
L  m h f  hin  2.5  0.5 1155  1134.8 
 z sat  cos 1 1    cos 1 1   0.98 m
    
D L q max  0.02  2.5  300 
ii) The steam quality at the channel outlet
Integrating equation (1) between 0 and L we get

L
m hout  hin    D  q z  dz  2 D L qmax

0
Where hout  xout hg  1  xout h f

 hout  hin  hout  h f   h f  hin   x out h fg  h f  hin 


 h f  hin 
2 L D q max
 xout  m  0.024
h fg

[13] The neutron flux depression within a cylindrical pellet can be modeled by

assuming that the radial dependence of q  is of the form q r   q01  ar R 
2

where q0 is the volumetric heat generation rate at the pellet centerline, r is the
radial coordinate within the pellet, R is the radius of the pellet, and a is a constant.
i) Derive an expression for the linear power in the pellet, q’, in terms of q0 , R and a.

ii) Derive an expression for the centerline temperature as a function of the constant a,
the linear power q’, the fuel thermal conductivity kf, and the fuel surface temperature
Tfo.

iii) Compute the centerline temperature for the following values of the constants:
a=0.12, q’=25 kW/m, kf = 3 W/m-K and Tfo=400oC.

10
Solution:
i) The linear power in the pellet
 dq   q r   2 r dr
R R
 r 
2
 a
 q    q r  2 rdr   q 01  a   2 rdr  R 2 q 01  
0 0   R    2

ii) An expression for the centerline temperature

1 d  dT  d  dT  q 0  r3 
  f
k r   q r   0   r     r  a 
r dr  dr  dr  dr  kf  R2 
dT q   r 2 r4  dT q   r r3  C
 r   0   a 2   C1   0  a 2 1
dr kf  2 4R  dr k f 2 4R  r
q 0  2 r4 
 T r     r  a   C1 lnr   C 2
4k f  4R 2 
dT
at r  0 0  C1  0
dr
q 0 R 2  a
at r  R T  T fo  C 2  T fo  1  4 
4k f
q 0 R 2  a  q 0  2 r4 
 T r   T fo  1  4   4 k  r  a 
4k f   f  4R 2 
q 0  2
 T fo   R  r 
2
 a  
R4  r 4 


4k f  4 R2 
q  R 2  a  q  4  a 
T r  0   T fo  0 1    T fo 

4k f  4  4  k f  4  2 a 

iii) the centerline temperature for a = 0.12, q’ = 25 kW/m, kf = 3 W/m-K and Tfo =
400oC.
q  4  a 
T r  0   T fo 
4  k f  4  2 a 
25000 4  0.12
 400    1044.4 o C
4    3 4  2  0.12

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