Steady and transient analysis on thermal hydraulic characteristic of helical coiled once-through steam generator of liquid metal fast reactor

A transient model for thermal–hydraulic characteristics of helical coiled once-through steam generator (HCOTSG) of liquid metal fast reactor was established based on global discrete grid method. The model meshed the liquid metal circuit and water-steam circuit. Meanwhile, unsteady heat conduction equations were built to accurately simulate coupled heat transfer between two sides. Four-equation drift-flux method was adopt for water-steam flow. Taking lead–bismuth fast reactor as example, thermal–hydraulic characteristics of HCOTSG were first calculated under steady conditions. It was found that heat flux distribution along steam generator is extremely uneven, and the difference between maximum and minimum wall heat flux reaches hundreds of times. Then, the transient response was simulated when inlet conditions of primary side were perturbed by step changes, and it was found that maximum wall heat flux increases from 1175.5 kW/m² to 1365 kW/m², increasing by nearly 16 %, when inlet lead–bismuth temperature step increases from 450°C to 480 °C.