Heat-loss Calculations for Pressure-channel SCWRs

Abstract

This paper focuses on two fuel channel options for SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactors (SCWRs). One fuel channel design utilizes a ceramic insulator while another uses a gaseous insulator -- similar to the CANDU-6 fuel channel design. The objective of this paper is to estimate heat losses from the coolant to the moderator from these two fuel channel designs at SuperCritical Water (SCW) and Steam-Re-Heat (SRH) conditions. In order to fulfill the objective, MATLAB and NIST REFPROP software were utilized for programming and calculation of thermophysical properties as needed, respectively.Steady-state one-dimensional heat transfer analysis was conducted to calculate heat losses from the fuel channels to a liquid moderator. The convective heat loss of the ceramic-insulated fuel channel and convective and radiative heat losses of the CANDU-6-type fuel channel were calculated. The total heat losses from the ceramic-insulated and CANDU-6 type fuel channel were approximately 105 and 30 kW per fuel channel at SCW conditions. The corresponding total heat losses per fuel channel at SRH conditions were approximately 112 and 43 kW, respectively.