heat flux

fishes

thermal-hydraulic

annular

benchmark

thermal-hydraulics

natural circulation

candu

linear regression

blockage

subchannel

climate_76381

hdfs

genetic_138749

theology_126820

fuel_108469

intercourse

giant magnetoresistance

multi-layer

chairs

Annals of Nuclear Energy

CFD method has the potential to simulate the detailed three-dimensional flow and heat transfer features in nuclear reactors, and is promising to play a more important role in the future reactor design and thermal hydraulics analysis. In recent years, series of research achievements in nuclear engineering based on the CFD method, including the single-phase application, two-phase model development and multi-scale and multi-physics coupling, are accomplished around the world. XJTU-NuTheL has also been committed to the development and application of high fidelity thermal–hydraulic models using CFD method. The three-dimensional CFD models of key equipments in nuclear power plants, such as RPV, SG, valves, T-junctions and passive residual heat exchanger, are developed. The mathematical models of complicate two-phase boiling phenomena and thermal hydraulic features under the motion conditions are established. In addition, with the high fidelity simulation requirement of the whole reactor system, the nuclear reactor multi-scale and multi-physics coupling platforms are developed on the basis of CFD codes. In this paper, the latest progress of nuclear reactor thermal–hydraulic research using CFD method is outlined, especially at XJTU-NuTheL. The major challenges and promising directions of CFD method in the nuclear reactor engineering are proposed, which would be beneficial for the promotion of its further applications.

Recent progress of CFD applications in PWR thermal hydraulics study and future directions