Investigation of the temperature state of fuel elements with a given spatial distribution of heat sources.

This article shows the results of the elaboration of a numerical – analytical method for solving the problem of thermal conductivity in a plate fuel element ('TVEL'). An unsteady temperature field inside a fuel element is investigated for a given spatial distribution of heat sources. The heat release rate is given by the quadratic function of the coordinate. Modelling the temperature state of bodies with internal heat sources allows one to study the operation of equipment in transient modes, control heating / cooling modes of elements, determine temperature stresses, etc. The use of the developed method made it possible to obtain an approximate analytical solution of the formulated problem, simple in form, with an accuracy sufficient for engineering applications. It is shown in the work that regardless of the power of internal sources of heat, the temperature state is stabilized at a temperature level that depends on the Pomerantsev number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]