High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows

The research objective of this work was to improve the engineering predictions of the turbulence characteristics of flows in curved narrow channels. Such channel flows are commonly encountered in nuclear research and test reactors, with one of them being the high-flux isotope reactor (HFIR). Researc...

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Main Authors: Emilian Popov, Nicholas Mecham, Taylor Grubbs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Fluids
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5521/10/4/85
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author Emilian Popov
Nicholas Mecham
Taylor Grubbs
author_facet Emilian Popov
Nicholas Mecham
Taylor Grubbs
author_sort Emilian Popov
collection DOAJ
description The research objective of this work was to improve the engineering predictions of the turbulence characteristics of flows in curved narrow channels. Such channel flows are commonly encountered in nuclear research and test reactors, with one of them being the high-flux isotope reactor (HFIR). Research reactors bear high heat fluxes, and the proper computing of turbulence is paramount for safe and reliable reactor operation. The study builds on the results of a previous direct numerical simulation of turbulence to inform a well-known Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes shear-stress turbulence model and improves its accuracy in simulating parallel channel flows. A new formulation of the loss term in the dissipation conservation equation is suggested. Combined with high wall distance computational grids, the new implementation provides a fast-running flow solution, suitable for engineering purposes. Model generalization for parallel channel flows, in a broader range of frictional Reynolds numbers, is suggested by introducing a new form of the model constants.
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spelling doaj-art-ff72f7bbf5f3459c8dc70b8e154669af2025-08-20T02:28:36ZengMDPI AGFluids2311-55212025-03-011048510.3390/fluids10040085High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel FlowsEmilian Popov0Nicholas Mecham1Taylor Grubbs2Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USADepartment of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC 27695, USADepartment of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC 27695, USAThe research objective of this work was to improve the engineering predictions of the turbulence characteristics of flows in curved narrow channels. Such channel flows are commonly encountered in nuclear research and test reactors, with one of them being the high-flux isotope reactor (HFIR). Research reactors bear high heat fluxes, and the proper computing of turbulence is paramount for safe and reliable reactor operation. The study builds on the results of a previous direct numerical simulation of turbulence to inform a well-known Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes shear-stress turbulence model and improves its accuracy in simulating parallel channel flows. A new formulation of the loss term in the dissipation conservation equation is suggested. Combined with high wall distance computational grids, the new implementation provides a fast-running flow solution, suitable for engineering purposes. Model generalization for parallel channel flows, in a broader range of frictional Reynolds numbers, is suggested by introducing a new form of the model constants.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5521/10/4/85CFDRANSchannel flowSST
spellingShingle Emilian Popov
Nicholas Mecham
Taylor Grubbs
High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
Fluids
CFD
RANS
channel flow
SST
title High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
title_full High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
title_fullStr High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
title_full_unstemmed High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
title_short High <i>y</i><sup>+</sup> Shear-Stress Turbulence Implementation for High Flux Isotope Reactor Narrow Channel Flows
title_sort high i y i sup sup shear stress turbulence implementation for high flux isotope reactor narrow channel flows
topic CFD
RANS
channel flow
SST
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5521/10/4/85
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AT nicholasmecham highiyisupsupshearstressturbulenceimplementationforhighfluxisotopereactornarrowchannelflows
AT taylorgrubbs highiyisupsupshearstressturbulenceimplementationforhighfluxisotopereactornarrowchannelflows