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The paper describes an analytical study of hydrodynamic processes taking place in the course of coolant flow through a fuel assembly of the core of a fast neutron sodium-cooled reactor. Within the framework of the study, a procedure and an analytical model were developed based on program complex FlowVision of computational fluid dynamics, which, using proved simplifications, permits to obtain a coefficient of rod lifting margin of a fuel assembly and to study hydrodynamic characteristics of processes taking place in the course of simulation of different initial events influencing motion of a reactor core fuel assembly.

For analytical justification a fuel assembly model was developed, which is equivalent by hydraulic resistance values and permits not to simulate explicitly a complicated full-scale fuel assembly design, thus, decreasing a number of computational cells in the model and, as a result, reducing computational and time resources.

Hydraulic parameters of the equivalent fuel assembly model in program complex FlowVision were analyzed in two stages. At the first stage, to determine the minimum rod lifting margin coefficient of a fuel assembly, steady-state analyses were performed, where various flowrate values were assigned at the model inlet and forces acting upon the assembly were analyzed. A series of dynamic mode analyses was performed at the second stage. Jump-like pressure increase being the initial event which could occur hypothetically in the fast neutron sodium cooled reactor plant was assigned in these modes. Hydrodynamic parameters and forces acting upon the fuel assembly were determined.

The results of the first stage of the analytical study proved the minimum coefficient of rod lifting margin of a fuel assembly of the fast neutron reactor justified in reactor plant design documentation. As a result of the second stage of the study, conclusions were made on impossibility for the fuel assembly to move at the initial event associated with jump-like pressure increase in the reactor pressure chamber.

Nowadays, active development of 4th generation nuclear reactors with liquid metal coolants takes place. Therefore, simulation of their elements and units in 3D modelling software are relevant. The thermal-hydraulic analysis of reactor units with liquid metal coolant is recognized as one of the most important directions of the complex of interconnected tasks on reactor unit parameters justification. The complexity of getting necessary information about operating conditions of reactor equipment with liquid-metal coolant on the base of experimental investigations requires the involvement of numerical simulation. The domestic CFD code FlowVision has been used as a research tool. FlowVision software has a certificate of the Scientific and Engineering Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety for the nuclear reactor safety simulations. Previously it has been proved that this simulation code had been successfully used for modelling processes in nuclear reactors with sodium coolant. Since at the moment the nuclear industry considers plants with lead-bismuth coolant as promising reactors, it is necessary to justify the FlowVision code suitability also for modeling the flow of such coolant, which is the goal of this work. The paper presents the results of lead-bismuth eutectic flow numerical simulation in the heat exchange tube bundle of NPP steam generator. The convergence studies on a grid and step have been carried out, turbulence model has been selected, hydraulic resistance coefficients of lattices have been determined and simulations with and without $k_\theta^{}$-$e_\theta^{}$ model are compared within the framework of fluid dynamics and heat exchange modeling in the heat-exchange tube bundle. According to the results of the study, it was found that the results of the calculation using the $k_\theta^{}$-$e_\theta^{}$ turbulence model are more precisely consistent with the correlations. A cross-verification with STAR-CCM+ software has been performed as an additional verification on the accuracy of the results, the results obtained are within the error limits of the correlations used for comparison.

The possibility to study temperature fluctuations using URANS approach is studied. The results of numerical simulation of mixing processes for triple-jet sodium at different temperatures are presented. The processes were simulated using FlowVision software system and LMS model for turbulent heat transfer. The analysis and experiment data are compared. Validated was the possibility to determine the energy-carrying frequencies of temperature fluctuations using URANS approach and LMS model when mixing triple-jet sodium at different temperatures.

The article submits wall functions model “FlowVision”. The model allows simulating turbulent flows of fluid and gas over solid impermeable surfaces on different grids. Four turbulence models are considered: $k-\varepsilon$ FlowVision, $k-\varepsilon$ Standard, SST $k-\omega$, SA. Details of implementation of turbulence models in FlowVision software are discussed. Calculations of two test cases are demonstrated.

The article provides a development of recently published turbulence model KEFV. The submitted version of this model allows modeling transition in a separated flow. The model includes an adjustable mechanism for specifying generation of turbulence in laminar zones with high velocity gradients. The model is implemented in the FlowVision CFD software. Simulation of the air flow around low-Reynolds airfoil Eppler-387 is discussed in the article. The flow conditions are characterized by the Reynolds number Re = 200 000.

The paper presents the results of three-dimensional numerical simulation of thermal-hydraulic processes in the Intermediate Heat Exchanger of the advanced Sodium-Cooled Fast-Neutron (BN) Reactor considering a developed methodological approach.

The Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX) is located in the reactor vessel and intended to transfer heat from the primary sodium circulating on the shell side to the secondary sodium circulating on the tube side. In case of an integral layout of the primary equipment in the BN reactor, upstream the IHX inlet windows there is a temperature stratification of the coolant due to incomplete mixing of different temperature flows at the core outlet. Inside the IHX, in the area of the input and output windows, a complex longitudinal and transverse flow of the coolant also takes place resulting in an uneven distribution of the coolant flow rate on the tube side and, as a consequence, in an uneven temperature distribution and heat transfer efficiency along the height and radius of the tube bundle.

In order to confirm the thermal-hydraulic parameters of the IHX of the advanced BN reactor applied in the design, a methodological approach for three-dimensional numerical simulation of the heat exchanger located in the reactor vessel was developed, taking into account the three-dimensional sodium flow pattern at the IHX inlet and inside the IHX, as well as justifying the recommendations for simplifying the geometry of the computational model of the IHX.

Numerical simulation of thermal-hydraulic processes in the IHX of the advanced BN reactor was carried out using the FlowVision software package with the standard $k-\varepsilon$ turbulence model and the LMS turbulent heat transfer model.

To increase the representativeness of numerical simulation of the IHX tube bundle, verification calculations of singletube and multi-tube sodium-sodium heat exchangers were performed with the geometric characteristics corresponding to the IHX design.

To determine the input boundary conditions in the IHX model, an additional three-dimensional calculation was performed taking into account the uneven flow pattern in the upper mixing chamber of the reactor.

The IHX computational model was optimized by simplifying spacer belts and selecting a sector model.

As a result of numerical simulation of the IHX, the distributions of the primary sodium velocity and primary and secondary sodium temperature were obtained. Satisfactory agreement of the calculation results with the design data on integral parameters confirmed the adopted design thermal-hydraulic characteristics of the IHX of the advanced BN reactor.

The objective of this study is to determine the best formations for the joint movement of a group of small robots in an aquatic environment. Estimation of drag of the flow is a traditional and well-known area of research, but it is not always valid to extend the conclusions made for a single robot to a group of similar devices due to the physical effects that appear during joint movement, such as a wave shadow. For these reasons, it is necessary to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of certain robot formations as a stable structure. The hydrodynamic parameters of systems with two main types of propulsion were studied: locomotive (fishtails) and propellers. Formations similar in structure to schools of fish were mainly considered, and then their applicability for robots of different types was assessed. The relationship between the speed of movement of the group and the drag of each of its participants was also studied. Mathematical modeling of the flow around a group of robots was performed using the finite volume method using two software packages (FlowVision and OpenFoam). Robots with a screw propeller interfere with each other when packed into tight formations, and for the locomotive case, being in the disturbance zone, on the contrary, is preferable. Also, with poorly streamlined bodies, flows separating from the surface can turn into narrow turbulent jets that greatly interfere with the rear robots. It has been established that wake effect reduces energy costs only at low speeds of movement — about 5 cm/s; at high speeds, movement in columns becomes difficult for the rear robots. No large difference in frontal resistance was found between a single robot and a group for a fish-like tail. The studies made it possible to develop and substantiate recommendations for optimizing robot designs for group movement.

Modern approach to modernization of the experimental techniques involves design of mathematical models of the wind-tunnel, which are also referred to as Electronic of Digital Wind-Tunnels. They are meant to supplement experimental data with computational analysis. Using Electronic Wind-Tunnels is supposed to provide accurate information on aerodynamic performance of an aircraft basing on a set of experimental data, to obtain agreement between data from different test facilities and perform comparison between computational results for flight conditions and data with the presence of support system and test section.

Completing this task requires some preliminary research, which involves extensive wind-tunnel testing as well as RANS-based computational research with the use of supercomputer technologies. At different stages of computational investigation one may have to model not only the aircraft itself but also the wind-tunnel test section and the model support system. Modelling such complex geometries will inevitably result in quite complex vertical and separated flows one will have to simulate. Another problem is that boundary layer transition is often present in wind-tunnel testing due to quite small model scales and therefore low Reynolds numbers.

In the current article the first stage of the Electronic Wind-Tunnel design program is covered. This stage involves computational investigation of aerodynamic characteristics of the generic flying-wing UAV model previously tested in TsAGI T-102 wind-tunnel. Since this stage is preliminary the model was simulated without taking test-section and support system geometry into account. The boundary layer was considered to be fully turbulent.

For the current research FlowVision computational code was used because of its automatic grid generation feature and stability of the solver when simulating complex flows. A two-equation k–ε turbulence model was used with special wall functions designed to properly capture flow separation. Computed lift force and drag force coefficients for different angles-of-attack were compared to the experimental data.

This work presents the model of heat wall functions FlowVision (WFFV), which allows simulation of nonisothermal flows of fluid and gas near solid surfaces on relatively coarse grids with use of turbulence models. The work follows the research on the development of wall functions applicable in wide range of the values of quantity y+. Model WFFV assumes smooth profiles of the tangential component of velocity, turbulent viscosity, temperature, and turbulent heat conductivity near a solid surface. Possibility of using a simple algebraic model for calculation of variable turbulent Prandtl number is investigated in this study (the turbulent Prandtl number enters model WFFV as parameter). The results are satisfactory. The details of implementation of model WFFV in the FlowVision software are explained. In particular, the boundary condition for the energy equation used in high-Reynolds number calculations of non-isothermal flows is considered. The boundary condition is deduced for the energy equation written via thermodynamic enthalpy and via full enthalpy. The capability of the model is demonstrated on two test problems: flow of incompressible fluid past a plate and supersonic flow of gas past a plate (M = 3).

Analysis of literature shows that there exists essential ambiguity in experimental data and, as a consequence, in empirical correlations for the Stanton number (that being a dimensionless heat flux). The calculations suggest that the default values of the model parameters, automatically specified in the program, allow calculations of heat fluxes at extended solid surfaces with engineering accuracy. At the same time, it is obvious that one cannot invent universal wall functions. For this reason, the controls of model WFFV are made accessible from the FlowVision interface. When it is necessary, a user can tune the model for simulation of the required type of flow.

The proposed model of wall functions is compatible with all the turbulence models implemented in the FlowVision software: the algebraic model of Smagorinsky, the Spalart-Allmaras model, the SST $k-\omega$ model, the standard $k-\varepsilon$ model, the $k-\varepsilon$ model of Abe, Kondoh, Nagano, the quadratic $k-\varepsilon$ model, and $k-\varepsilon$ model FlowVision.

Certifying a transport airplane for the flights under icing conditions requires calculations aimed at definition of the dimensions and shapes of the ice bodies formed on the airplane surfaces. Up to date, software developed in Russia for simulation of ice accretion, which would be authorized by Russian certifying supervisory authority, is absent. This paper describes methodology IceVision recently developed in Russia on the basis of software FlowVision for calculations of ice accretion on airplane surfaces.

The main difference of methodology IceVision from the other approaches, known from literature, consists in using technology Volume Of Fluid (VOF — volume of fluid in cell) for tracking the surface of growing ice body. The methodology assumes solving a time-depended problem of continuous grows of ice body in the Euler formulation. The ice is explicitly present in the computational domain. The energy equation is integrated inside the ice body. In the other approaches, changing the ice shape is taken into account by means of modifying the aerodynamic surface and using Lagrangian mesh. In doing so, the heat transfer into ice is allowed for by an empirical model.

The implemented mathematical model provides capability to simulate formation of rime (dry) and glaze (wet) ice. It automatically identifies zones of rime and glaze ice. In a rime (dry) ice zone, the temperature of the contact surface between air and ice is calculated with account of ice sublimation and heat conduction inside the ice. In a glaze (wet) ice zone, the flow of the water film over the ice surface is allowed for. The film freezes due to evaporation and heat transfer inside the air and the ice. Methodology IceVision allows for separation of the film. For simulation of the two-phase flow of the air and droplets, a multi-speed model is used within the Euler approach. Methodology IceVision allows for size distribution of droplets. The computational algorithm takes account of essentially different time scales for the physical processes proceeding in the course of ice accretion, viz., air-droplets flow, water flow, and ice growth. Numerical solutions of validation test problems demonstrate efficiency of methodology IceVision and reliability of FlowVision results.