Determination of the optimal size of the heat-generating element of the elliptical cross-section of a nuclear reactor in order to reduce the arising temperature stresses.

As is known, the fuel elements of nuclear reactors operate at sufficiently high temperatures. The heterogeneity of the temperature field leads to the appearance of so-called thermal stresses. The main objective of this work is mathematical modeling of temperature stresses of fuel elements of cylindrical and elliptical cross-section reactors. Based on mathematical modeling, it was shown that the level of thermal stresses arising during the transition from a circular cross-section to an elliptical one decreases. The optimal size of this section was also obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]