Thermomechanical analysis of a reactor using the finite difference method and its verification from the finite elements method

Abstract

High technological industrial plants such as petrochemicals, refineries, chemicals, food, metallurgical, nuclear, among others, have pressure container components, pipes and equipment operating in extreme conditions.

At present, the technology achieved in the design of these plants, allow to operate with their equipment at high pressures and temperatures or in unfavorable situations in terms of degradation (mainly corrosion) of the materials, but always maintaining the safety and control limits required by their operators. The safety and economic damage that would mean the possible failure of equipment installed at the plant, in particular the case of reactors, designed to operate at high pressures and temperatures, require thorough and appropriate analysis to ensure their structural integrity over its lifetime. In recent years, new specifications have emerged for the proper selection of materials and to meet the most demanding analysis requirements, which are incorporated in design, manufacturing and inspection. A reactor of low power nuclear origin for use in scientific research or for energy supply in isolated regions, is taken as the basis of this work, whose design falls among the so-called "Modular Last Generation Centrals". For the analysis, the thermal distribution over the reactor body was determined through the approach of the differential Heat Transfer equations, resolved by the Finite Difference Method, where the thermal distribution and its associated tension status and where the results are presented in a-dimensional form, simple to resolve and practical to use. To corroborate the results obtained, a three-dimensional model was raised by finite elements method.