Study of the Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Liquid Sodium Metal in a Single Channel for Space Core

SUN Qiqi, ZHANG Haochun, SUN Zijian, XIA Yan

Journal of Engineering Thermophysics ›› 2024, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5) : 1484-1489.

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PDF(9555 KB)
Journal of Engineering Thermophysics ›› 2024, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5) : 1484-1489.

Study of the Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Liquid Sodium Metal in a Single Channel for Space Core

  • SUN Qiqi1, ZHANG Haochun1, SUN Zijian1, XIA Yan2
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Abstract

The enhancement of core heat transfer is one of the important ways to improve the efficiency and ensure the safe operation of space nuclear energy system. Liquid sodium metal, with its advantages of high thermal conductivity and low viscosity, is an excellent core coolant. In this work, a three-dimensional cooling channel model is developed and numerical simulations of the flow and heat transfer of liquid sodium metal in a single channel are performed. Core outlet temperature, Nusselt number, and pressure drop are taken as observed parameters, and the effects of Reynolds number and core power density on flow, heat transfer and pressure drop of liquid sodium metal are investigated one by one. The results show that the increase of Reynolds number has a positive effect on the enhancement of the performance of core heat transfer, but the pressure drop also increases. Higher core outlet temperature can be obtained at higher core power density, but the effect of this value on heat transfer characteristics can be ignored. The above research results provide a theoretical basis for core strengthening.

Key words

thermal hydraulics / liquid metal sodium / performance analysis / numerical simulation

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SUN Qiqi, ZHANG Haochun, SUN Zijian, XIA Yan. Study of the Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Liquid Sodium Metal in a Single Channel for Space Core[J]. Journal of Engineering Thermophysics, 2024, 45(5): 1484-1489
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