Finite element analysis of temperature field of nuclear fuel cladding tube

In this paper, the finite element software ANSYS is used to analyse the influence of the eccentricity of nuclear fuel pellet on the temperature field of the cladding tube. Furthermore, transient heat conduction analysis of a single fuel rod during a loss of coolant accident is carried out. It can be found that the pellet bias has little effect on the temperature difference between the inner and outer walls of cladding tube, but it has a great influence on the temperature of the pellet center. The results obtained by transient analysis show that the cladding tube will melt within 738 seconds in the loss of coolant accident. (paper)