The analysis of the turbulent flows in nuclear fuel bundles is a very interesting task to optimize the efficiency of modern nuclear power plants. The proposed study utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to characterize the flow pattern generated in a fuel bundle with Spacer Grids (SG) and Mixing Vanes (MV). CFD calculations were performed using different turbulence models for steady state simulations. Large Eddy Simulations (LES) scheme was applied to time dependent cases. The simulations were compared with the experimental data measured at Texas A&M University fuel bundle experimental facility. Also, another objective is to develop some new coarse mesh approaches for modeling MV to include these structures in the prospective of quarter of core simulations; MV and SG are usually modeled with porous media, since the computational power required to solve the full geometry is still unacceptable. The new contribution of the study is the definition and implementation of a Momentum Sources Forcing approach that allows a detailed definition of MV and SG for coarse mesh calculations. The proposed method was investigated using different turbulence models and different numerical schemes. Also, LES calculations allowed the study of Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI), that generates vibration problems and failure of nuclear fuel pins. A spectral analysis of the forces acting on the fuel pins walls was developed. In conclusion, a comprehensive study of fuel bundle problem was proposed with benchmark of the computational techniques to the experimental data.

Les vibrations induites par l'écoulement dans le coeur du REP peuvent provoquer une usure par frottement des crayons combustibles par friction au niveau des contacts entre la cellule de grille et les crayons des assemblages combustibles. Cela peut entraîner des dommages irréversibles de la gaine du crayon combustible et compromettre la première barrière de sûreté du réacteur. Assurer l'intégrité de la gaine est une préoccupation majeure dans la sûreté du réacteur. Cependant, les spectres d'excitation des forces fluides agissant sur les crayons ne sont pas bien connus. Le but de cette thèse est d'utiliser des éléments géométriques simples pour reproduire des cellules de grilles d'un REP. SGE ont été effectuées sur une conduite annulaire avec différents maillages en utilisant le code TrioCFD. Une étude de sensibilité de maillage a été réalisée afin de proposer un maillage reproduisant correctement les résultats dans la littérature. Ces informations de résolution de maillage ont été utilisées lors de la réalisation des simulations en utilisant divers obstacles géométriques intérieurs à la conduite, i.e., des ailettes de mélange, une grille circulaire et une combinaison de grille carrée et d'ailettes de mélange. Un maillage hybride a été utilisé dans le cas des ailettes de mélange et dans le cas de cellule de grille carrée. Les caractéristiques hydrauliques ainsi que la pression pariétale ont été analysées dans chaque cas. Il apparaît que la grille carrée est une combinaison approximative du cas des ailettes de mélange et du cas de la grille circulaire. Les simulations ont été comparés avec des mesures réalisées au CEA / Flow-induced vibrations in the pressurized water reactor core can cause fretting wear in the fuel rods. Due to friction, wear occurs at the contact locations between the spacer grid and the fuel rod. This may compromise the first safety barrier of the nuclear reactor by damaging the fuel rod cladding. In order to ensure the integrity of the cladding, it is necessary to know the random fluctuating forces acting on the rods. However, the spectra for these fluid forces are not well known. The goal of this thesis is to use simple geometrical elements to check the reproducibility of realistic PWR spacer grids. As a first step, LES were performed on annular pipe for different mesh refinements using the CFD code TrioCFD. A mesh sensitivity study was performed to propose a good mesh for reproducing standard literature results. This information on mesh resolution was used when carrying out simulations using various geometric obstacles inside the pipe-mixing vanes, circular spacer grid and a combination of square spacer grid with mixing vanes. Structured mesh was generated for the annular pipe case and circular grid case. An innovative hybrid mesh was used for the two remaining cases of the mixing vanes and the square grid; keeping unstructured mesh around the obstacles and structured mesh in the rest of the domain. Both hydraulic and wall pressure characteristics were analyzed for each case. The results for the square grid case were found to be an approximate combination of the mixing vane case and circular grid case. Simulation results were compared with experiments performed at CEA Cadarache. Some preliminary comparisons were also made with classical empirical models.