Thermal analysis for spent fuel using porous model

In order to establish a thermal analysis technique for spent fuel storage systems, the porous model, which can simplify the complex configuration of a fuel assembly, has been developed. Thermal conductivity, hydraulic resistance and convective heat transfer were modeled to approximate a fuel assembly as a porous solid, which has equivalent thermo physical properties. Since the model was verified by comparison with experimental results using a single assembly, it was applied to a whole canister analysis including several assemblies. The numerical analysis for a whole canister predicted that the maximum temperature was 621 K at 21.0 kW total heat source of fuel assemblies. (author)