PSB-VVER simulation of Kozloduy NPP “loss of feed water transient”

This paper provides a comparison between the PSB test facility experimental results obtained during the simulation of loss of feed water transient (LOFW) and the calculation results received by INRNE computer model of the same test facility. Integral thermal-hydraulic PSB-VVER test facility located at Electrogorsk Research and Engineering Center on NPPs Safety (EREC) was put in operation in 1998. The structure of the test facility allows experimental studies under steady state, transient and accident conditions.RELAP5/MOD3.2 computer code has been used to simulate the loss of feed water transient in a PSB-VVER model. This model was developed at the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy for simulation of loss of feed water transient.The objective of the experiment “loss of feed water”, which has been performed at PSB-VVER test facility is simulation of Kozloduy NPP LOFW transient. One of the main requirements to the experiment scenario has been to reproduce all main events and phenomena that occurred in Kozloduy NPP during the LOFW transient. Analyzing the PSB-VVER test with a RELAP5/MOD3.2 computer code as a standard problem allows investigating the phenomena included in the VVER code validation matrix as “integral system effects” and ”natural circulation“. For assessment of the RELAP5 capability to predict the “Integral system effect” phenomenon the following RELAP5 quantities are compared with external trends: the primary pressure and the hot and cold leg temperatures. In order to assess the RELAP5 capability to predict the “Natural circulation” phenomenon the hot and cold leg temperatures behavior have been investigated.This report was possible through the participation of leading specialists from Kozloduy NPP and with the support of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), under the International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP) of the United States Department of Energy.     

Capability of the RELAP5 code to simulate natural circulation behavior in test facilities

Many advanced reactor designs incorporate passive systems mainly to enhance the operational safety and possible elimination of severe accident condition. Some reactors are even designed to remove the nominal fission heat passively by natural circulation without using mechanical pumps e.g. ESBWR, AHWR, CHTR, CAREM, etc. while in most other new reactor concepts, the decay heat is removed passively by natural circulation following the pump trip conditions. The design and safety analysis of these reactors are carried out using the best estimate codes such as RELAP5, TRAC and CATHARE, etc. These best estimate codes have been developed for pumped circulation systems and it is not proven about their adequacy or applicability for natural circulation systems wherein the driving mechanism is completely different. Some of the key phenomena which are difficult to model but are significantly important to assess the natural circulation system performances are – low flow natural circulation mainly because the flow is not fully developed and can be multi-dimensional in nature; flow instabilities; critical heat flux under oscillatory condition; flow stratification particularly in large diameter vessel; thermal stratification in large pools; effect of non-condensable gases on condensation, etc. Though, these best estimate codes use a six equation two-fluid model formulation for the thermal-hydraulic calculation which is considered to be the best representative of two-phase flows, but their accuracies depend on the accuracies of the models for interfacial relationships for mass, energy and momentum transfer which are semi-empirical in nature. The other problem with two-fluid models is the effect of ill-posedness which may cause numerical instability. Besides, the numerical diffusion associated due to truncation of higher order terms can affect the prediction of flow instabilities. All these effects may lead to inability to capture the important physical instability in natural circulation systems and instability characteristics i.e. amplitude and frequency of flow oscillation. In view of this, it is essential to test the capability of these codes to simulate natural circulation behavior under single and two-phase flow conditions before applying them to the future reactor concepts.In the present study, one of the extensively used best estimate code RELAP5 has been used for simulation of steady state, transient and stability behavior of natural circulation based experimental facilities, such as the High-Pressure Natural Circulation Loop (HPNCL) and the Parallel Channel Loop (PCL) installed and operating at BARC. The test data have been generated for a range of pressure, power and subcooling conditions. The computer code RELAP5/MOD3.2 was applied to predict the transient natural circulation characteristics under single-phase and two-phase conditions, thresholds of flow instability, amplitude and frequency of flow oscillations for different operating conditions of the loops. This paper presents the effect of nodalisation in prediction of natural circulation behavior in test facilities and a comparison of experimental data in with that of code predictions. The errors associated with the predictions are also characterized.     

简化反应堆一回路系统自然循环的动态比例特性研究

在反应堆安全领域,合适的比例分析对非能动系统实验台架的设计起到了关键作用。为深入了解比例缩放时自然循环瞬态过程的变化机理,基于简化反应堆一回路系统,分别采用H2TS（双向分层比例分析）和DSS（动态比例分析）方法进行了自然循环的比例分析,计算了升降功率工况下的自然循环,对比分析了不同尺度下关键参数的动态变化。结果表明,基于RELAP5的计算结果与实验结果基本一致,5%初始功率以下的阶跃变化不会造成大的流量波动;基于两种比例分析方法所得缩比模型下的计算结果均可基本反映原型参数变化;所有工况下,自然循环流量和冷热段温差在初始阶段05个循环周期内存在较大的波动,之后则相对平稳。     

Numerical simulation of natural circulation experiments conducted at the IIST facility

Natural circulation plays an important role in long-term cooling of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) under small break loss-of-coolant accidents. Recently, natural circulation experiments have been conducted at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research integral system test (IIST) facility, which is used to simulate the Westinghouse three-loop Maanshan PWR. A numerical simulation is presented to investigate the natural circulation phenomena of the IIST facility with the RELAP5/MOD3 code. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data of the single-phase natural circulation both quantitatively and qualitatively. The influences of power level and system pressure on natural circulation can also be predicted by the current model. Based on the two-phase natural circulation data, the calculated flow rate history is similar to that obtained from the experiment.     

循环工况转换过程中的燃料棒热应变分析

利用RELAP5程序建立分析模型,结合强迫循环工况转换自然循环工况的试验数据,对转换过程中的冷却剂温度变化速率和燃料棒的热应变进行计算分析.计算结果表明:结合RELAP5程序进行燃料棒的热应变分析是合适的;自然循环转换过程中燃料棒热应变的变化剧烈,对燃料棒的机械性能产生影响;结合RELAP5瞬态分析结果,也可以分析其他工况变化过程对燃料棒的热应力冲击问题.     

非能动专设安全设施应急余热排出试验研究

在海水淡化堆综合模拟试验装置上,开展了非能动专设安全设施应急余热排出模拟试验研究,获得了系统参数对非能动余热排出特性的影响规律。利用RELAP5/MOD3.2程序对蓄压水池不同初始水位下自然循环的建立和余热导出的过程进行了计算。结果表明,RELAP5/MOD3.2程序能较好地模拟海水淡化堆非能动专设安全设施的非能动余热导出过程,计算结果与试验结果符合较好。     

核动力装置自然循环及其过渡过程计算模型的建立

为准确分析含反应性反馈的核动力装置自然循环及其过渡过程中重要参数的响应特性,以核动力装置瞬态最佳估算程序RELAP5/MOD3为基础,采用两群三维时空中子动力学模型替代RELAP5/MOD3的点堆模型,并建立三维空间内中子物理与热工水力的耦合模型,编制相应的计算程序。利用所研制的程序对实际核动力装置的自然循环及其过渡过程进行分析计算,并与试验结果进行比较。结果表明:本文建立的时空中子动力学计算模型克服了点堆方程不能准确计算反应性反馈的缺点,计算精度高,研制的程序可作为核动力装置强迫循环与自然循环及其过渡过程的计算分析工具。     

一种稳定性增强及高精度数值方法在RELAP5中的实现与评价

在计算稳定性的改进方面,修正RELAP5程序中的虚拟质量力(Virtual mass force)形式,同时添加了新的界面压力项(Interface pressure);在计算精度的改进方面,采用具有总变差减小(Total variation diminish,TVD)特点的高精度通量限制器(Flux limiter)方法取代RELAP5程序原本的一阶迎风方法来离散质量和能量守恒方程中的对流项。在模拟水平管道内空泡份额微扰随时间发展的数值实验中,相比改进前的RELAP5,改进后的RELAP5计算得到的微扰幅度并未增长;在模拟液相沉降的数值实验中,改进前的RELAP5程序计算得到了不真实的空泡份额分布,而改进后的RELAP5在不同的网格数量下能够得到收敛的稳定解。对Ransom水龙头数值实验和Marviken CFT 15大破口喷放实验的计算表明,改进后的具有二阶TVD格式的RELAP5程序能够得到更接近实验数据的计算结果。     

Evaluation of analytically scaled models of a pressurized water reactor using the RELAP5/MOD3 computer code

This paper performs analytical evaluations for the potential distortions caused by the scaled models using RELAP5/MOD3 computer codes. By use of scaling analysis, two scaled models with the same volumetric ratio are constructed for the Korean next generation reactor (KNGR), which is an advanced light water reactor. The scaling methodology adopted in this paper preserves the two-phase natural circulation similarities between prototype and scaled models. One scaled model is at full height with reduced flow area. The other model is at reduced height with reduced flow area. By using appropriate scale factors the RELAP5/MOD3 input models are developed. Then, the transient responses of the two ideal scaled models are simulated for small break loss of coolant accidents (SBLOCAs) by using the RELAP5/MOD3 computer code. The transient responses of the two scaled models are compared with those of the prototype. The results indicate that qualitative and quantitative similarities are well preserved for both models during SBLOCA with different break sizes.     

Analysis of startup oscillations in natural circulation boiling systems

The aim of the present work is to get an insight of the phenomena behind the low-pressure low-power transients that occur during startup of a natural circulation boiling system. A RELAP5 model developed for a test facility and its prototype is used to record additional system parameters that were not included in the data obtained from experiments. The flow oscillations observed during experimental and numerical studies are analyzed and classified. It is inferred that the low amplitude oscillations are not condensation induced geysering instabilities, but a density wave instability supported by flashing. The similarity between the nature of startup transients observed in the test facility and the prototype is also examined. The effect of flashing is more pronounced in the prototype due to the strong variation of saturation temperature as the length scale is 4 times that of the model. The time series data obtained from experimental observations and numerical simulations are analyzed to identify the structural nature of flow oscillations. The power spectral density estimated using fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm illustrates the chaotic nature of the signals. The nonlinear time series analysis (TISEAN) package has been used for the estimation of Lyapunov exponent and the Poincaré section. The Poincaré section and the Lyapunov exponent confirm the chaotic nature of the flow oscillations.     

Adequacy of Power-to-volume Scaling Philosophy to Simulate Natural Circulation in Integral Test Facilities

Theoretical and experimental investigations were carried out to study the adequacy of power-to-volume scaling philosophy for the simulation of natural circulation and to establish the scaling philosophy applicable for the design of the Integral Test Facility (ITF-AHWR) for the Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). The results indicate that a reduction in the flow channel diameter of the scaled facility as required by the power-to-volume scaling philosophy may affect the simulation of natural circulation behaviour of the prototype plants. This is caused by the distortions due to the inability to simulate the frictional resistance of the scaled facility. Hence, it is recommended that the flow channel diameter of the scaled facility should be as close as possible to the prototype. This was verified by comparing the natural circulation behaviour of a prototype 220MWe Indian PHWR and its scaled facility (FISBE-1) designed based on power-to-volume scaling philosophy. It is suggested from examinations using a mathematical model and a computer code that the FISBE-1 simulates the steady state and the general trend of transient natural circulation behaviour of the prototype reactor adequately. Finally the proposed scaling method was applied for the design of the ITF-AHWR.     

Assessment of a RELAP5 model for the IPR-R1 TRIGA research reactor

RELAP5 code was developed at the Idaho National Environmental and Engineering Laboratory and it is widely used for thermal hydraulic studies of commercial nuclear power plants and, currently, it has been also applied for thermal hydraulic analysis of nuclear research systems with good predictions. This work is a contribution to the assessment of RELAP5/3.3 code for research reactors analysis. It presents steady-state and transient calculation results performed using a RELAP5 model to simulate the IPR-R1 TRIGA research reactor conditions operating at 50 and 100 kW. The reactor is located at the Nuclear Technology Development Centre (CDTN), Brazil. The development and the assessment of a RELAP5 model for the IPR-R1 TRIGA are presented. Experimental data were considered in the process of code-to-data validation. The RELAP5 results were also compared with calculation performed using the STHIRP-1 (Research Reactors Thermal Hydraulic Simulation) code. The use of a cross flow model has been essential to improve results in the transient condition respect to preceding investigations.     

Analysis of the OECD/NEA ROSA Project experiment simulating a PWR small break LOCA with high-power natural circulation

OECD/NEA ROSA Project experiment with the large scale test facility (LSTF) in JAEA was conducted simulating a PWR 1% cold leg small break LOCA with an assumption of high-power natural circulation due to failure of scram and total failure of high pressure injection system. The core power curve for the LSTF experiment was obtained by PWR LOCA analysis using JAEA-developed coupled three-dimensional kinetics and thermal-hydraulics code SKETCH-INS/TRAC-PF1 with detailed core model. A post-test analysis was performed against the obtained data by using JAEA-modified RELAP5/MOD3.2.1.2 code to validate the code predictability. The JAEA-modified RELAP5/MOD3.2.1.2 code was used by incorporating a break model that employs maximum bounding flow theory with a discharge coefficient of 0.61 for two-phase break flow. In the experiment, flow in hot legs became supercritical during two-phase natural circulation, causing the hot leg liquid level to be quite low. Liquid accumulation in steam generator U-tube upflow-side took place during reflux condensation mode due to high vapor velocity. The RELAP5 code predicted reasonably well the overall thermal-hydraulic phenomena observed in the experiment. The code, however, overpredicted the break flow rate especially during two-phase flow discharge period probably because of the failure in the correct simulation of the cold leg liquid level due to late decrease in the primary loop flow rate.     

Analysis of large break LOCA experiment at ROSA-III

Analysis of the ROSA-III test RUN 704 was performed by using the computer codes RELAP4J, RELAP4/MOD6 and RELAP5/MOD0 to verify the predictive capability of the codes for a BWR LOCA. The ROSA-III facility is a volumetrically scaled (1/424) BWR system with an electrically heated core, designed for in tegral LOCA/ECCS tests. The RUN 704 experiment at the ROSA-III test facility simulated a 200% double-ended offset shear break on the inlet side of the pump in the recirculation loop. From present analyses, key parameters which are important to predict major behavior during a BWR large break LOCA have been clarified and the promising predictive capability of the advanced code RELAP5 has been verified.     

基于修改后RELAP5/MOD3.2的氟盐高温堆实验回路分析

大型热工流体整体效应系统实验(CIET)台架是为模拟氟盐冷却高温堆(FHR)热工水力响应而设计的实验回路,采用DOWTHERM A模拟氟盐作为冷却剂。通过在RELAP5/MOD3.2程序中加入DOWTHERM A物性参数以及传热关系式,计算FHR实验回路CIET在两种工况下的热工水力行为,并与实验结果进行对比,计算工况包括强迫循环条件与自然循环条件。计算结果表明:在强迫循环条件下,堆芯热量主要靠盘管式空气换热器(CTAH)排出,堆芯进出口冷却剂温度及CTAH出口冷却剂温度与实验值符合良好,CTAH进口冷却剂温度与实验值有些微偏差;在自然循环工况中,堆芯热量主要通过DHX与堆芯辅助冷却系统(DRACS)回路的换热带走,DHX及DRACS的流量与实验值接近,相对误差在10%左右,验证了修正后RELAP5/MOD3.2的正确性。     

Evaluation of system codes for analyzing naturally circulating gas loop

Steady-state natural circulation data obtained in a 7 m-tall experimental loop with carbon dioxide and nitrogen are presented in this paper. The loop was originally designed to encompass operating range of a prototype gas-cooled fast reactor passive decay heat removal system, but the results and conclusions are applicable to any natural circulation loop operating in regimes having buoyancy and acceleration parameters within the ranges validated in this loop. Natural circulation steady-state data are compared to numerical predictions by two system analysis codes: GAMMA and RELAP5-3D. GAMMA is a computational tool for predicting various transients which can potentially occur in a gas-cooled reactor. The code has a capability of analyzing multi-dimensional multi-component mixtures and includes models for friction, heat transfer, chemical reaction, and multi-component molecular diffusion. Natural circulation data with two gases show that the loop operates in the deteriorated turbulent heat transfer (DTHT) regime which exhibits substantially reduced heat transfer coefficients compared to the forced turbulent flow. The GAMMA code with an original heat transfer package predicted conservative results in terms of peak wall temperature. However, the estimated peak location did not successfully match the data. Even though GAMMA's original heat transfer package included mixed-convection regime, which is a part of the DTHT regime, the results showed that the original heat transfer package could not reproduce the data with sufficient accuracy. After implementing a recently developed correlation and corresponding heat transfer regime map into GAMMA to cover the whole range of the DTHT regime, we obtained better agreement with the data. RELAP5-3D results are discussed in parallel.     

Experimental validation of the TASS/SMR code for an integral type pressurized water reactor

The transient and setpoint simulation small and medium reactor (TASS/SMR) code has been applied to perform the safety analysis and performance evaluation of an integral type pressurized water reactor. Till now, the code has only been verified by using simplified and analytical problems as well as a reliable system code due to the lack of available experimental data. Recently, several kinds of experiments have been performed by focusing on an identification of the heat transfer characteristics at a heat sink and source, and the thermal hydraulic characteristics and the natural circulation performance in an integral effect test facility. In this paper, the TASS/SMR code has been validated by using the experimental data obtained from a separate effect test facility by focusing on the heat transfer characteristics and an integral effect test facility by focusing on the thermal hydraulic characteristics and the natural circulation performance. According to the validation results of the TASS/SMR code against the separate effect test and the integral effect test, the code predicts the overall variation of the thermal hydraulic parameters well, including the system pressure, fluid temperature, mass flow rate, etc., and it is applicable for the safety analysis and performance evaluation of an integral type pressurized water reactor.     

Development of TSACO and application to Chinese HCCB TBM cooling system

In this study, a thermal-hydraulic and safety analysis code (TSACO) for helium cooling system has been developed using Fortran 90 language, and the simulation has been performed for the cooling system of the Chinese helium cooled ceramic breeder test blanket module (CH HCCB TBM). The semi-implicit finite difference technique was adopted for the solution of the dynamic behavior of helium cooling system. Furthermore, a detailed illustration of the numerical solution for heat structures and critical model was presented. The code was verified by the comparison of RELAP5 code with the same initial condition, boundary condition, heat transfer and flow friction models. The TBM inlet/outlet temperatures and pressure drop were obtained and the results simulated by TSACO were shown in good agreement with those by RELAP5. Thereafter, the design basis accident in-vessel loss of coolant accident (LOCA), was investigated for the CH HCCB TBM cooling system. The critical flow model was also verified by comparing with RELAP5 code. The results indicated that the TBM can be cooled down effectively. The vacuum vessel (VV) pressure and the mass of helium spilled into the VV maintained below the design limits with a large margin.     

Benchmark analysis of main circulation pump trip events at the Ignalina NPP using RELAP5 code

The state-of-the-art code RELAP5/MOD3 was originally designed for PWRs. Because of unique RBMK designs the application of this code to RBMK-1500 encountered several problems. A successful best estimate RELAP5 model of the Ignalina NPP has been developed. This model includes the reactor main circulation circuit (MCC) and reactor control and protection system required for this kind of transient analysis. Benchmark analysis of all operating main circulation pump (MCP) trip events was performed. During the analysis the characteristics of isolation control valves and MCP throttling regulating valves were established. Comparison of calculated and measured parameters was also used to establish realistic resistances of different MCC components and realistic behaviour of the controllers of the reactor systems. Calculations performed with the RELAP5 model, which includes these modifications, compare favourably with plant data.     

RELAP5铅铋快堆模型拓展及验证

为研究铅铋快堆瞬态热工水力特性,对RELAP5程序进行二次开发,添加铅铋合金（LBE）物性模型和液态金属流动换热模型,并与NACIE-UP和CIRCE-ICE台架的实验结果进行对比。计算结果表明：NACIE-UP台架稳态流量和温度相对误差在2%以内,瞬态相对误差不超过5%,与其他系统程序CATHARE、ATHLET、RELAP5-3D、RELAP5/MOD3.3(modified)相比,本文程序的相对偏差不超过10%;CIRCE-ICE台架稳态流量和温度相对误差在2%以内,瞬态相对误差不超过10%。本文程序满足反应堆系统热工水力分析程序精度要求,可作为铅铋快堆安全分析的有效工具。