Heat Conduction in Reactor

Elements
(Part 2)
MUHAMMAD SYAHIR SARKAWI, PhD
Nuclear Engineering Program
Energy Engineering Department
N01-273 | 0133274154
[email protected]

SETN2223 1
 The Effect of Cladding

• System containing a plate-type fuel element of

half thickness s with cladding of thickness, 𝒄
and thermal conductivity 𝒌𝒄 ,

• The presence of the cladding, an extra, though

usually small, resistance to heat conduction
results in the decrease of 𝒒𝒔 for the same
overall temperature drop

• 𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒄 were the same as 𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔 in the

previous case

SETN2223 2
 The Effect of Cladding

• In the steady-state since no heat generated in the cladding material, The amount
of heat leaving surface 𝒔 same as that leaving surface 𝒄.

• For a constant 𝒌𝒄 , 𝒅𝑻 /𝒅𝒙 through the cladding is constant.

• Also neglecting resistance to heat flow at the fuel-cladding interface, we can write

𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻 𝒔
𝒒𝒔 = 𝒒′′′ 𝑨𝒔 = 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨
𝒔
𝒅𝑻 𝑻𝒔 − 𝑻𝒄
𝒒𝒔 = − 𝑨𝒌𝒄 ቉ = 𝑨𝒌𝒄 (14)
𝒅𝒙 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝒄

SETN2223 3
 The Effect of Cladding

𝑻 𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔
𝒒𝒔 = 𝒒′′′ 𝑨𝒔 = 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨
𝒔
Solving for the temperature differences,
𝒒𝒔 𝒔 𝒒′′′ 𝟐
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔 = = 𝒔 (15)
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨 𝟐𝒌𝒇

𝒒𝒔 𝒄 𝒒′′′
𝑻𝒔 − 𝑻 𝒄 = 𝒔= 𝒔𝒄 (16)
𝒌𝒄 𝑨 𝒌𝒄
Adding,
𝒒𝒔 𝒔 𝒄 𝒒′′′ 𝒔𝟐 𝒒′′′ 𝒔𝒄
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒄 = ( + )= + (17)
𝑨 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄
SETN2223 4
 The Effect of Cladding

Rearranging gives 𝒒𝒔 in terms of the temperature

𝑨(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔 ) (𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒄 )
𝒒𝒔 = 𝒔 𝒒𝒔 = (18)
𝒄 𝒔 𝒄
( + ) ( + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝟐𝑨𝒌𝒇 𝑨𝒌𝒄

This formula gives the rate at which heat flows through one side of the fuel plate in terms
of the difference in temperature between the center and surface of the plate.
𝒔 𝒄
𝑹= + (19)
𝟐𝑨𝒌𝒇 𝑨𝒌𝒄

𝑹 is the total thermal resistance of the fuel and cladding.

SETN2223 5
 The Heat Transfer from Fuel Element to Coolant

• A clad fuel plate with coolant fluid passing

parallel to it.

• At steady state, with no heat produced in

cladding or coolant

SETN2223 6
 The Heat Transfer from Fuel Element to Coolant

If 𝒒𝒔 , is the heat leaving the fuel element

𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔 𝑻𝒔 − 𝑻 𝒄
𝒒𝒔 = 𝒒′′′ 𝑨𝒔 = 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨 = 𝑨𝒌𝒄 = 𝒉𝑨(𝑻𝒄 − 𝑻𝒇 ) (20)
𝒔 𝒄
Solving for the temperature differences,
𝒒𝒔 𝒔 𝒒′′′ 𝟐
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒔 = = 𝒔
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨 𝟐𝒌𝒇
𝒒𝒔 𝒄 𝒒′′′
𝑻𝒔 − 𝑻𝒄 = 𝒔= 𝒔𝒄
𝒌𝒄 𝑨 𝒌𝒄
𝒒𝒔 𝒒′′′ 𝒔
𝑻𝒄 − 𝑻𝒇 = = (21)
𝒉𝑨 𝒉
SETN2223 7
 The Heat Transfer from Fuel Element to Coolant

Adding,
𝒒𝒔 𝒔 𝒄 𝟏 𝒒′′′ 𝒔𝟐 ′′′
𝒄 𝟏
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 = ( + + )= + 𝒒 𝒔( + ) (22)
𝑨 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉 𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉

Which may be written as

(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 )
𝒒𝒔 = (23)
𝒔 𝒄 𝟏
( + + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝑨 𝒌𝒄 𝑨 𝒉𝑨

(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 )
𝒒′′′ = (24)
𝒔𝟐 𝒄𝒔 𝒔
( + + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉
SETN2223 8
 Interdependence of Temperature, Heat Transfer
and Heat (or Neutron) Flux

Equations (24) may be used to explain some of the limitations on heat generation in
nuclear reactors.
′′′
(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 )
𝒒 =
𝒔𝟐 𝒄𝒔 𝒔
( + + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉

For any constant value of 𝒒"′, if 𝑻𝒇 is to be kept as high as possible for good plant thermal
efficiency,
𝒉 has to be increased materially (since it affects only part of the equation) to keep the
maximum fuel temperature 𝑻𝒎 or the maximum cladding temperature 𝑻𝒔 , from
becoming excessively highly.

SETN2223 9
 Interdependence of Temperature, Heat Transfer
and Heat (or Neutron) Flux

• On the other hand, if for metallurgical or other reasons these

temperatures are limited to certain values, 𝒉

• The value of 𝒒"′ may be regulated by changing the neutron flux with
the help of the control rods.

• In essence, there is no limit to the quantity of generating, so long as

adequate cooling is provided to keep the temperatures in the system
from exceeding their safe limits.

SETN2223 10
 Exercise 1

A plate-type fuel element is made of 1.5 percent enriched uranium metal. The element is 4 ft long, 3.5 in. wide,
and 0.2 in. thick. It is clad in Type 304l stainless steel with 0.005 in. thick. The effective thermal neutron flux at
the point of maximum temperature (slightly above the centre of the core) is 𝟑𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬/𝐬𝐞𝐜 𝐜𝐦𝟐 .
For good plant efficiency, the coolant bulk temperature at that point should be no lower than 600 ℉. Find
Given:
𝐆 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎 𝐌𝐞𝐕
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝛔𝐟 = 𝟑𝟔𝟒 𝐛

a) The volumetric thermal of element at that point, 𝒒′′′

b) The minimum value of 𝒉 if the fuel temperature should not exceed 700 ℉
c) The maximum cladding and coolant temperatures
d) The minimum value of 𝒉 if the fuel temperature should not exceed 700 ℉, but for neutron fluxes of 𝟐 ×
𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑 and 4 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑

SETN2223 11
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

Solution. The physical properties of the fuel and cladding are evaluated at their respective mean
temperatures. Since these are not known, the boundary temperatures are assumed as follows:

𝑻𝒎 = 𝟕𝟎𝟎℉ Given
𝑻𝒔 = 𝟔𝟔𝟎℉ Assumed
𝑻𝒄 = 𝟔𝟓𝟎℉ Assumed
𝑻𝒇 = 𝟔𝟎𝟎℉ Given

Mean fuel and cladding temperatures are 680 and 655 °F

𝝆 density of uranium metal at 680 °F = 18.71 gm/𝐜𝐦𝟑
𝒌𝒇 conductivity at same temperature= 18.5 Btu/hr ft °F From table in slide (Part 1)
𝒌𝒄 of 304L stainless steer at 655 °F = 11.36 Btu/hr ft °F
SETN2223 12
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

Therefore
(a) The volumetric thermal of element at that point, 𝒒′′′
𝐠
𝑵𝒂 𝝆𝝂(𝒇) (𝟎. 𝟔𝟎𝟐𝟐𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬/𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐞)(𝟏𝟖. 𝟕𝟏 )(𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟓)
𝑵𝒇 = = 𝐜𝐦𝟑 = 𝟕. 𝟏𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟎 𝐧𝐮𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐢/𝐜𝐦𝟑
𝑴 𝟐𝟑𝟓. 𝟎𝟒𝟒 𝒈/𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒆

𝒒′′′ = 𝑮𝑵𝒇 𝝈𝒇 𝝓

′′′ 𝟐𝟎 −𝟐𝟒 𝟏𝟑 𝟏𝟓
𝑴𝒆𝑽
𝒒 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎 𝑴𝒆𝑽 𝟕. 𝟏𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑𝟔𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟏𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎
𝒔𝒆𝒄 𝒄𝒎𝟑

𝑴𝒆𝑽 𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝟏. 𝟒𝟏𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟓 −𝟖
× 𝟏. 𝟓𝟒𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎 = 𝟐. 𝟏𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟕
𝒔𝒆𝒄 𝒄𝒎𝟑 𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑

SETN2223 13
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

(b) The minimum value of 𝒉 if the fuel temperature should not exceed 700 ℉
𝐵𝑡𝑢 0.2
𝑞 ′′′ = 2.185 × 107 ℎ𝑟∙𝑓𝑡 3 , 𝑠 = 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑐 = 0.005 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑇𝑓 = 600℉ , 𝑇𝑚 = 700℉
2

𝒒′′′ 𝒔𝟐 ′′′
𝒄 𝟏
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 = + 𝒒 𝒔( + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉

𝟐
𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟎. 𝟏 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟓
𝟐. 𝟏𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝒇𝒕 𝒇𝒕
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑 𝟏𝟐 𝟕
𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟎. 𝟏 𝟏𝟐 𝟏
𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝟔𝟎𝟎 = + (𝟐. 𝟏𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 )( 𝒇𝒕)( + )
𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑 𝟏𝟐 𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝒉
𝟐 𝟏𝟖. 𝟓 𝟏𝟏. 𝟑𝟔
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕 ∙ ℉ 𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕 ∙ ℉
𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟓 𝒇𝒕 𝟏
𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝟔𝟎𝟎 = 𝟒𝟏. 𝟎𝟓𝟗 + (𝟏. 𝟖𝟐𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟓 )( + )
𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝟏𝟐(𝟏𝟏. 𝟑𝟔 ) 𝒉
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕 ∙ ℉
𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝝓 = 𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑 = 𝟑𝟒𝟖𝟖
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟐 ∙ ℉
SETN2223 14
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

(c) The maximum cladding and coolant temperatures

𝐵𝑡𝑢 0.2
𝑞 ′′′ = 2.185 × 107 ℎ𝑟∙𝑓𝑡 3 , 𝑠 = 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑐 = 0.005 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑇𝑓 = 600℉ , 𝑇𝑚 = 700℉
2

𝑩𝒕𝒖
(𝟐. 𝟏𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 )
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑 𝟎. 𝟏
𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝑻𝒔 = ( 𝒇𝒕)𝟐
𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟏𝟐
𝟐(𝟏𝟖. 𝟓 )
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕 ∙ ℉

𝑻𝒔 = 𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝟒𝟏. 𝟑 = 𝟔𝟓𝟖. 𝟗℉

SETN2223 15
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

𝒒′′′ 𝒔
𝒕𝒄 − 𝒕𝒇 =
𝒉
𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟎. 𝟏
(𝟐. 𝟏𝟖𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 )( 𝒇𝒕)
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑 𝟏𝟐
𝒕𝒄 − 𝟔𝟎𝟎 = 𝑻𝒔 = 𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝟒𝟏. 𝟑 = 𝟔𝟓𝟖. 𝟗℉
𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝟑𝟒𝟖𝟖
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟐 ∙ ℉
𝑻𝒔 = 𝟔𝟔𝟎℉ Assumed
𝑻𝒄 = 𝟔𝟎𝟎 + 𝟓𝟐. 𝟑 = 𝟔𝟓𝟐. 𝟑℉ 𝑻𝒄 = 𝟔𝟓𝟎℉ Assumed

𝑻𝒄 is the highest coolant temperature

At this point these calculated boundary temperatures are compared with the ones assumed at
the beginning of the solution.

The differences are sufficiently small, and the answers are therefore sufficiently accurate.

SETN2223 16
 Exercise 1 (Solution)

(d) The minimum value of 𝒉 if the fuel temperature should not exceed 700 ℉, but for neutron fluxes of 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑
and 4 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑
Repeat the same method used in part (b)
𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝝓 = 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑 = 𝟏𝟕𝟖𝟑
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟐 ∙ ℉

𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝝓 = 𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑 = 𝟔𝟔𝟖𝟐
𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟐 ∙ ℉

𝒉 the minimum necessary to keep the maximum fuel temperature within 700°F, increase rapidly with
neutron flux

SETN2223 17
 Maximum Neutron Flux

This theoretical maximum value of flux is obtained by putting 𝒉 infinite and evaluating
a corresponding value of

𝒒′′′ 𝒔𝟐 ′′′
𝒄 𝟏
𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 = + 𝒒 𝒔( + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄 𝒉

(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇 )
𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝒔𝟐 𝒔𝒄
( + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄

In effect, this makes the temperature of the coolant equal to the temperature of the
cladding’s outer surface, 𝑻𝒄

SETN2223 18
 Maximum Neutron Flux

′′′
𝝓𝒎𝒂𝒙 can be then evaluated from 𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙
𝝓𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝑮𝑵𝒇 𝝈𝒇

To increase 𝝓 beyond 𝝓𝒎𝒂𝒙 for a given fuel and cladding configuration,

• It is necessary to lower 𝑻𝒇 (with its undesirable effect on plant thermodynamic

efficiency)
• To increase 𝑻𝒎 (at the expense of reduced fuel burnup or otherwise by fuel alloying or
using ceramic fuels), or both.

SETN2223 19
 Exercise 2

Calculate the maximum possible neutron flux corresponding to the data from Exercise 1

𝐵𝑡𝑢 0.2
𝑞 ′′′ = 2.185 × 107 , 𝜙 = 3 × 1013 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/ sec 𝑐𝑚2 , 𝑠 = 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑐 = 0.005 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑇𝑓 = 600℉ , 𝑇𝑚 = 700℉
ℎ𝑟∙𝑓𝑡 3 2

Given:
𝐆 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎 𝐌𝐞𝐕
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝛔𝐟 = 𝟑𝟔𝟒 𝐛

SETN2223 20
 Exercise 2 (Solution)
Calculate the maximum possible neutron flux corresponding to the data from Exercise 1
𝐵𝑡𝑢 0.2
𝑞 ′′′ = 2.185 × 107 ℎ𝑟∙𝑓𝑡 3 , 𝜙 = 3 × 1013 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠/ sec 𝑐𝑚2 , 𝑠 = 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑐 = 0.005 𝑖𝑛. , 𝑇𝑓 = 600℉ , 𝑇𝑚 = 700℉, 𝑇𝑐 =
2
652.3℉
(𝑻𝒎 − 𝑻𝒇𝒎𝒂𝒙 )
𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝒔𝟐 𝒔𝒄
( + )
𝟐𝒌𝒇 𝒌𝒄
(𝟕𝟎𝟎 − 𝟔𝟓𝟐. 𝟑) 𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙 = = 𝟒. 𝟎𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟕
𝟎. 𝟏 𝟐 𝟎. 𝟏 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟓 𝒉𝒓 ∙ 𝒇𝒕𝟑
( ) ( )
( 𝟏𝟐 + 𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 )
𝟐(𝟏𝟖. 𝟓) 𝟏𝟏. 𝟑𝟔
𝟒. 𝟎𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎𝟕 𝑴𝒆𝑽
𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙 = = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟓
𝟏. 𝟓𝟒𝟖 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝒔𝒆𝒄 ∙ 𝒄𝒎𝟑

SETN2223 21
 Exercise 2 (Solution)

𝒒′′′
𝒎𝒂𝒙
𝝓𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝑮𝑵𝒇 𝝈𝒇

𝟐.𝟔𝟐×𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟓 𝟏𝟑 𝑵𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒔
𝝓𝒎𝒂𝒙 = = 𝟓. 𝟓𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎
(𝟏𝟖𝟎)(𝟕.𝟏𝟗×𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟎 )(𝟑𝟔𝟒×𝟏𝟎−𝟐𝟒 ) 𝒔𝒆𝒄∙𝒄𝒎𝟐

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Thank You
Stay safe!

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