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CFD Modeling of Flows in Nuclear Power Plant Feed-Water Pipelines |
Milorad B. Dzodzo, Bin Liu, Andrea Cioncolini
Science and Technology Department, Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
A numerical investigation was performed to study the flows in several nuclear power plant feed-water pipeline configurations. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) models were developed with commercial CFD software. The models comprised sections of the pipeline networks including geometrical configurations such as elbows, expansions and contractions, valves, T and Y branches.
The majority of available data in the open literature for highly turbulent flows in smooth and rough pipes are for Reynolds numbers up to 3.4×106 . The actual Reynolds numbers in the feed-water pipelines could be up to 30×106 due to the high flow rates (velocities) and fluid properties (high water pressures and temperatures, in fact low viscosities). This fact represents a potential challenge for the current CFD modeling practice.
The purpose of the study was to obtain insight into the flow redistribution, flow patterns and axial velocity profiles resulting from the interaction between various pipeline branches and position of the geometrical configurations.
The results, streamlines, axial velocity contours, lateral velocity vectors and velocity profiles are presented and discussed in relation to the shape of the pipeline network. The CFD models’ results indicate that in some cases axial velocity profiles and flow patterns can differ from the developed turbulent flows in the straight pipes.
The presented CFD models are one step towards developing advanced tools that can be used to evaluate the effects of the pipeline geometry on the flow structure and axial velocity distribution.
Contact
Dr. Milorad B. Dzodzo
Fellow Engineer
Thermal, Fluid & Nuclear Engineering
Science and Technology Department
Westinghouse Electric Company
1344 Beulah Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15235, USA
dzodzomb@westinghouse.com