{"title":"Heat transfer characteristics and design optimization of compact heat exchanger with liquid lead-bismuth eutectic and sCO2 as working fluids","authors":"Zhiyuan Luo, Gen Li","doi":"10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105740","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) is one of the potential intermediate heat exchangers (IHXs) for nuclear reactors characterised by its high efficiency, high power density, and high endurance in extreme conditions. The use of PCHE as an IHX of a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) reactor coupled with the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton cycle system can enhance its compactness and safety. However, the research on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of PCHE with LBE and sCO<sub>2</sub> as working fluids is scarce. In this research, the flow and heat transfer of LBE and sCO<sub>2</sub> in straight, zigzag, and airfoil fins channels were studied by numerical method. The results indicated the zigzag channel had a larger Nusselt number (<em>Nu</em>) and friction factor (<em>f</em>) with significant fluctuations along the channel due to the periodic bending structures. While the stable <em>Nu</em> and <em>f</em> were observed in the straight and airfoil fins channels. As the inlet velocity rose, the heat transfer increased while the friction loss decreased. The larger inlet temperature of sCO<sub>2</sub> resulted in lower <em>Nu</em> and higher <em>f</em>, while the inlet temperature had an unobvious impact on LBE. New correlations of sCO<sub>2</sub> and LBE were developed across an extensive range of Reynolds number. Moreover, the economic viability of three channel PCHEs was compared by multi-objective optimization method and cost analysis, revealing that the annual total cost of the airfoil fins channel PCHE was 9.7% and 4.7% lower than that of the straight and zigzag, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20617,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Nuclear Energy","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 105740"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Progress in Nuclear Energy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149197025001386","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
The Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) is one of the potential intermediate heat exchangers (IHXs) for nuclear reactors characterised by its high efficiency, high power density, and high endurance in extreme conditions. The use of PCHE as an IHX of a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) reactor coupled with the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycle system can enhance its compactness and safety. However, the research on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of PCHE with LBE and sCO2 as working fluids is scarce. In this research, the flow and heat transfer of LBE and sCO2 in straight, zigzag, and airfoil fins channels were studied by numerical method. The results indicated the zigzag channel had a larger Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) with significant fluctuations along the channel due to the periodic bending structures. While the stable Nu and f were observed in the straight and airfoil fins channels. As the inlet velocity rose, the heat transfer increased while the friction loss decreased. The larger inlet temperature of sCO2 resulted in lower Nu and higher f, while the inlet temperature had an unobvious impact on LBE. New correlations of sCO2 and LBE were developed across an extensive range of Reynolds number. Moreover, the economic viability of three channel PCHEs was compared by multi-objective optimization method and cost analysis, revealing that the annual total cost of the airfoil fins channel PCHE was 9.7% and 4.7% lower than that of the straight and zigzag, respectively.
期刊介绍：
Progress in Nuclear Energy is an international review journal covering all aspects of nuclear science and engineering. In keeping with the maturity of nuclear power, articles on safety, siting and environmental problems are encouraged, as are those associated with economics and fuel management. However, basic physics and engineering will remain an important aspect of the editorial policy. Articles published are either of a review nature or present new material in more depth. They are aimed at researchers and technically-oriented managers working in the nuclear energy field.
Please note the following:
1) PNE seeks high quality research papers which are medium to long in length. Short research papers should be submitted to the journal Annals in Nuclear Energy.
2) PNE reserves the right to reject papers which are based solely on routine application of computer codes used to produce reactor designs or explain existing reactor phenomena. Such papers, although worthy, are best left as laboratory reports whereas Progress in Nuclear Energy seeks papers of originality, which are archival in nature, in the fields of mathematical and experimental nuclear technology, including fission, fusion (blanket physics, radiation damage), safety, materials aspects, economics, etc.
3) Review papers, which may occasionally be invited, are particularly sought by the journal in these fields.
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