Natural circulation reactor design safety analysis
Abstract
This thesis study covers both global performance and local phenomena analyses focusing on natural circulation reactor design safety. Four important topics are included: the global SBWR design safety assessment, important local phenomena investigation, steady and transient natural circulation process study, and two-phase instability analysis. The conceptual design of the SBWR-200 is introduced in this thesis and the global performance of a natural circulation reactor is then assessed using PUMA integral test data and RELAP5 simulations. A safety assessment methodology is developed to evaluate the PUMA integral test data extrapolation and code scalability. The RELAP5 code simulation capability in low-pressure low-flow conditions is also validated. The study shows that the code is capable of predicting the global accident scenario in natural circulation reactors with reasonable accuracy, while failing to reproduce some safety related local phenomena. The natural circulation process is investigated in detail using PUMA separate effect natural circulation tests. The natural circulation flow rate and heat transfer rate have been modeled analytically and numerically. The work indicates that two-phase natural circulation has enough capability to remove decay power. However, the flow instability observed in two-phase natural circulation cases seriously challenges the feasibility of natural circulation reactor design. The instability is classified as a type of density wave instability induced by flashing. A detailed stability study is performed focusing on flashing induced instability under natural circulation condition. Various flashing phenomena have been studied and a mechanistic flashing model has been proposed and improved using a relaxation method. The developed relaxation flashing model can be applied to general two-phase non-equilibrium phenomena.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Ishii, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Nuclear engineering|Nuclear physics
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