The effective thermal conductivity of crud and heat transfer from crud-coated PWR fuel

► In this paper we present a two-dimensional model of wick boiling phenomena occurring within the crud region formed on PWR fuel. ► The heat transfer through chimneys present in crud into the bulk is analysed in detail. ► The dependence of the thermal conductivity of the crud on parameters such as chimney separation and crud thickness has been quantified and discussed. Water-filled crud on the surface of PWR fuel could offer resistance to the flow of heat, which might be expected to cause higher clad temperatures, and probably more fuel failures, than are actually observed. However, there is some evidence from post-irradiation inspection that the crud is penetrated by pores large enough to permit vapour formation, and it is believed these provide a mechanism for ‘wick boiling’ to occur, which modifies, and indeed can under some circumstances actually improve, heat transfer. This phenomenon is investigated using a two-dimensional coupled multi-physics model, accounting for the flow of water, heat and dissolved species within the crud. The fuel thermal performance is characterized in terms of an effective crud thermal conductivity derived from the use of this model, and the non-linear dependence this effective thermal conductivity has on parameters such as crud thickness and pore density is determined.