COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS MODEL FOR DWPF CANISTER FILLING

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to develop a model that can be used to predict temperatures of the glass in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) canisters during filling and cooldown. Past attempts to model these processes resulted in large (>200K) differences in predicted temperatures compared to experimentally measured temperatures. This work was therefore intended to also generate a model capable of reproducing the experimentally measured trends of the glass/canister temperature during filling and subsequent cooldown of DWPF canisters. To accomplish this, a simplified model was created using the finite element modeling software COMSOL Multiphysics which accepts user defined constants or expressions to describe material properties. The model results were compared to existing experimental data for validation. A COMSOL Multiphysics model was developed to predict temperatures of the glass within DWPF canisters during filling and cooldown. The model simulations and experimental data were in good agreement. The largest temperature deviations were {approx}40 C for the 87inch thermocouple location at 3000 minutes and during the initial cooldown at the 51 inch location occurring at approximately 600 minutes. Additionally, the model described in this report predicts the general trends in temperatures during filling and cooling observed experimentally. However, the model was developed using parameters designed to fit a single set of experimental data. Therefore, Q-loss is not currently a function of pour rate and pour temperature. Future work utilizing the existing model should include modifying the Q-loss term to be variable based on flow rate and pour temperature. Further enhancements could include eliminating the Q-loss term for a user defined convection where Navier-Stokes does not need to be solved in order to have convection heat transfer.