CFD analysis of primary and secondary sodium flows and associated heat transfer on performance of an intermediate heat exchanger in LMFBR

CFD analysis was performed in IHX to find the pressure drop and heat transfer between primary and secondary sodium flow using ANSYS 18.1. A similar anisotropic porous technique was used for both primary and secondary flow inside and outside the bank of tubes. A decoupled analysis was performed with prescribed heat source/sink distribution. The distributors and baffles are attached to achieve uniform flow and heat removal in secondary flow. A coupled analysis of the primary and secondary sodium heat exchange is also performed by using the flow field obtained with the distributor. The flow distributor reduced the radial temperature variation <20 K within the bundle region. A 3D sectoral model was analysed and estimated the effects of a mixing device in the secondary flow. The temperature difference again reduced to 7 K at the secondary flow exit, by mixing hot sodium of outer region with that of the inner region.