Title: A reduced-order primary model for modern PWR primary loop analysis - Part I: RELAP5 benchmarking

Authors: Mohamad Hadi Porhemmat; Farshad Faghihi; Ataollah Rabiee; Hoda Sadeghpour

Addresses: Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, 71936-16548 Shiraz, Iran ' Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, 71936-16548 Shiraz, Iran; Radiation Research Center (RRC), Shiraz University, 71936-16548 Shiraz, Iran ' Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, 71936-16548 Shiraz, Iran ' Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, 71936-16548 Shiraz, Iran

Abstract: A large scale PWR (3400 MWt) with passive safety features is considered and first a transient PWR's pressuriser heat and mass transfers are discussed, and then the primary loop is modelled for two types of LOCAs. We have supposed a major scenario which is described herein so that all emergency cooling systems are lost due to an earthquake. Now, the passive ECCS (including passive ACCs and CMTs) starts under opening of depressurisation valves and gravitation acceleration in the primary loop. We examine a Reduced-order Primary Model (RPM) in this paper, and many physical parameters are determined based on RPM. In the current paper, we have verified the RPM with RELAP5.3.2 for a three inch break. Briefly, this paper contains a reduced primary loop model for estimating the dynamical response of the primary based on fundamental governing equations, and RELAP benchmarking.

Keywords: RPM; LOCA; PWR; pressurised water reactors; passive core cooling system; reduced-order primary models; primary loop analysis; RELAP5 benchmarking; passive safety; nuclear safety; heat and mass transfer; heat transfer; emergency cooling systems; earthquakes; depressurisation valves; gravitation acceleration; dynamic response; nuclear accidents; modelling; nuclear energy; nuclear power.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2015.074084

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2015 Vol.9 No.3, pp.201 - 223

Received: 20 Jun 2014
Accepted: 24 Sep 2014
Published online: 08 Jan 2016 *

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