Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is a pool type 5 MW research reactor. It is assumed that external objects or debris that may fall down to reactor core cause obstruction of coolant flow through one of the fuel assemblies. Thermal hydraulic analysis of this event, using the RELAP5 system code has been studied. The reported transient is related to the partial and total obstruction of a single Fuel Element (FE) cooling channel of 27 FE equilibrium core of TRR. Such event constitutes a severe accident for this type of reactor since it may lead to local dryout and eventually to loss of the FE integrity. Two scenarios are analysed to emphasize the severity of the accident. The first one is a partial blockage of an average FE considering four different obstruction levels: 25%, 50%, 75% and 97% of nominal flow area. The second one is an extreme scenario consisting of total blockage of the same FE. This study constitutes the first step of a larger work which consists of performing a 3-D simulation using the Best Estimate coupled code technique. However, as a first approach the instantaneous reactor power is derived through the point kinetic calculation included in the RELAP5 code. Main results obtained from the RELAP5 calculations are as following: 1. In the case of flow blockage under 97% of the nominal flow area of an average FE, only an increase of the coolant and clad temperatures is observed without any consequences for the integrity of the FE. The mass flow rate remains sufficient to cool the clad safely. 2. In the case of total obstruction of the nominal flow area, it is seen that transient turns out to be a severe accident due to the dryout conditions are reached shortly and melting of the cladding occurs. 3. The use of the point kinetic approach leads to conservative results. A best estimate simulation of such kind of transients requires the use of 3-D kinetic calculations. This could be done using the current Coupled Codes computational tool technique.
Assessment of Fuel Damage of Pool Type Research Reactor in The Case of Fuel Plates Blockage
D'AURIA, FRANCESCO SAVERIO
2007-01-01
Abstract
Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is a pool type 5 MW research reactor. It is assumed that external objects or debris that may fall down to reactor core cause obstruction of coolant flow through one of the fuel assemblies. Thermal hydraulic analysis of this event, using the RELAP5 system code has been studied. The reported transient is related to the partial and total obstruction of a single Fuel Element (FE) cooling channel of 27 FE equilibrium core of TRR. Such event constitutes a severe accident for this type of reactor since it may lead to local dryout and eventually to loss of the FE integrity. Two scenarios are analysed to emphasize the severity of the accident. The first one is a partial blockage of an average FE considering four different obstruction levels: 25%, 50%, 75% and 97% of nominal flow area. The second one is an extreme scenario consisting of total blockage of the same FE. This study constitutes the first step of a larger work which consists of performing a 3-D simulation using the Best Estimate coupled code technique. However, as a first approach the instantaneous reactor power is derived through the point kinetic calculation included in the RELAP5 code. Main results obtained from the RELAP5 calculations are as following: 1. In the case of flow blockage under 97% of the nominal flow area of an average FE, only an increase of the coolant and clad temperatures is observed without any consequences for the integrity of the FE. The mass flow rate remains sufficient to cool the clad safely. 2. In the case of total obstruction of the nominal flow area, it is seen that transient turns out to be a severe accident due to the dryout conditions are reached shortly and melting of the cladding occurs. 3. The use of the point kinetic approach leads to conservative results. A best estimate simulation of such kind of transients requires the use of 3-D kinetic calculations. This could be done using the current Coupled Codes computational tool technique.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
