Bow : user's manual

Résumé du livre

The bow code estimates deflections and rotations of fuel elements in two lateral directions. it allows for the following physical phenomena: circumferential and axial variations in sheath and pellet temperatures; mechanical interactions between the sheath and the pellets; cracking of pellets; hydraulic drag; restraints from endplates, from neighbouring elements, and from pressure tube; gravity; concentric or eccentric welds between endcap and endplate; neutron flux gradient; and material property variations. the code is based on fundamental principles of mechanics. the governing equations are solved numerically using the finite element method. several comparisons with closed-form equations show that the solutions of bow are accurate. bow's predictions for initial in-reactor bow of crnl experimental bundle nr are consistent with post-irradiation measurements on that bundle.