Recent availability of high performance computers and computational methods together with the continuing increase in operational experience imposes revising some operational constrains and conservative safety margins. The application of Best-Estimate (BE) method constitutes a real necessity in the safety and design analysis and allows getting more realistic simulation of the processes taking place during the steady state operation and transients. In comparison to the conservative approaches, the application of Best-Estimate methods results in the mitigation of the constraining limits in design and operation. This paper presents the results of the application of the RELAP5/Mod3.3 system thermal-hydraulic code to the German FRJ-2 research reactor for a reactivity transient, which has been analyzed in the past using the verified system code CATHENA [1], [2], [3]. The work mainly aims checking the capability of RELAP5 [4] for research reactor transient analysis by the comparison of the results of the two codes and including modeling basis and analytical approaches. According to the existing references RELAP5 applications are concentrated on the transient analysis of nuclear power systems. The considered case consists of a simulation related to a hypothetical fast reactivity transient, which is assumed to be caused by the failure of one shutdown arm. The case has been chosen due to the importance of the models for the precise description of the complex phenomenon of subcooled boiling and two phase flow taking place during the transient. For this purpose, the fuel element assembly was modeled in detail according to design data. The primary circuit was included in the whole model in order to consider the interaction with individual fuel elements with core. In general the results of the two codes are in agreement and comparable during the initial phase of the transient. After reaching the flow regime with fully developed nucleate boiling and two phase flow RELAP5 exhibits a different prediction for the course of the transient and thermalhydraulic quantities (void fraction and fuel temperature). In this respect the models, constitutive relations and correlations employed in the simulations seem to have influence on the course of the transient.
Analysis of a reactivity transient for the DIDO type research reactors using RELAP5
D'AURIA, FRANCESCO SAVERIO;
2005-01-01
Abstract
Recent availability of high performance computers and computational methods together with the continuing increase in operational experience imposes revising some operational constrains and conservative safety margins. The application of Best-Estimate (BE) method constitutes a real necessity in the safety and design analysis and allows getting more realistic simulation of the processes taking place during the steady state operation and transients. In comparison to the conservative approaches, the application of Best-Estimate methods results in the mitigation of the constraining limits in design and operation. This paper presents the results of the application of the RELAP5/Mod3.3 system thermal-hydraulic code to the German FRJ-2 research reactor for a reactivity transient, which has been analyzed in the past using the verified system code CATHENA [1], [2], [3]. The work mainly aims checking the capability of RELAP5 [4] for research reactor transient analysis by the comparison of the results of the two codes and including modeling basis and analytical approaches. According to the existing references RELAP5 applications are concentrated on the transient analysis of nuclear power systems. The considered case consists of a simulation related to a hypothetical fast reactivity transient, which is assumed to be caused by the failure of one shutdown arm. The case has been chosen due to the importance of the models for the precise description of the complex phenomenon of subcooled boiling and two phase flow taking place during the transient. For this purpose, the fuel element assembly was modeled in detail according to design data. The primary circuit was included in the whole model in order to consider the interaction with individual fuel elements with core. In general the results of the two codes are in agreement and comparable during the initial phase of the transient. After reaching the flow regime with fully developed nucleate boiling and two phase flow RELAP5 exhibits a different prediction for the course of the transient and thermalhydraulic quantities (void fraction and fuel temperature). In this respect the models, constitutive relations and correlations employed in the simulations seem to have influence on the course of the transient.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
