Investigation of steam flow behavior during horizontal injection into vertical annulus

Sang H. Yoon, Won J. Kim, Ja H. Ku, Kune Y. Suh, Chul H. Song

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Qualification of uncertainty margins for accidents, which are classified as the design basis accidents, requires thermal hydraulic codes and related code models with an enhanced level of sophistication. In a cold leg break accident, the flow in downcomer is multidimensional and the velocity distribution of the steam flow in downcomer serves as a good example. For observation of the flow behavior near the break, experiments are performed to measure the velocity of the steam flow in a vessel scaled down from the APR1400 (Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MWe). In this case, the steam has a quality approaching unity and thus is dealt with as a single-phase gas. The velocity of the steam flow is measured by micro-Pilot tubes arranged horizontally and vertically around the outer shell of the 1/20 scaled-down test vessel OMEGA (Optimized Multidimensional Experiment Geometric Apparatus). A commercial computational fluid dynamics code yields analytic results of multidimensional flow motion in the complex annular passage with flow obstacles. CFX is run with well-defined boundary conditions to obtain velocity profiles of the steam flow in the annular downcomer. Results of CFX shed light on the experimental setup as to fixing the location and angle of the micro-Pitot tubes, and correcting the sensitivity of the micro-Pilot tubes, for instance. This study aims to improve the multidimensional capability of the MARS code, which is based on RELAPS and COERA-IV, in predicting the multiphase flow behavior in the reactor downcomer. MARS is currently based on one- and two-dimensional flow analyses, which tends to distort total flow due to misrepresentation of the local phenomena. It is thus necessary to scrutinize the steam flow path and mechanistically model the momentum variation. These experimental and analytical results can locally be applied to developing the models of specific forms and essential phenomena treated in MARS.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2004 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP'04
Pages1562-1567
Number of pages6
StatePublished - 2004
EventProceedings of the 2004 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP'04 - Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Duration: 13 Jun 200417 Jun 2004

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 2004 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP'04

Other

OtherProceedings of the 2004 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, ICAPP'04
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPittsburgh, PA
Period13/06/0417/06/04

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