CIRCE-THETIS Facility CFD simulation: Steady State and Transient Compliance

CIRCE is a large scale LBE pool-type facility operated by ENEA (Italy), with the aim to support the development of the Liquid Metal Fast Reactors (LMFR), in particular of ALFRED design. The H2020 PATRICIA project foresees the installation in the CIRCE facility of a new test section, named THETIS. Investigation of the transition between forced and natural circulation under different and competitive heat removal mechanisms are foreseen. A CFD model of the test section able to simulated both steady state and the foreseen experimental transients is under construction. The complete CFD model of the THETIS test section is described. The influence of the thermal radiation wherever relevant is highlighted. Suitable thermal boundary conditions for the steady state are implemented. The numerical results of the nominal steady-state pre-test simulation are presented and the upgrade for the transient simulations is discussed.

@Article{PM22f,
  author       = {Profir, M. and Moreau, V.},
  title        = {CIRCE-THETIS Facility CFD simulation: Steady State and Transient Compliance    },
  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Research and Development},
  volume       = {24},
  month        = {december},
  year         = {2022},
  keywords     = {CFD simulation, CIRCE, ALFRED, LMFR},
  issn         = {2247 – 191X},
  url          = {https://publications.crs4.it/pubdocs/2022/PM22f},
}