Moderator Analysis of Wolsong Units 2/3/4 for the 35% Reactor Inlet Header Break with a Loss of Emergency Core Cooling Injection

• Published in: Journal of nuclear science and technology Vol. 43; no. 5; pp. 505 - 513
• Main Authors: YOON, Churl, RHEE, Bo Wook, KIM, Hyoung Tae, PARK, Joo Hwan, MIN, Byung-Joo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis Group 01.05.2006; Atomic Energy Society of Japan
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CANDU; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; hydraulic; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; moderator; porous media; resistance; subcooling; subcooling; LOCA; hydraulic resistance; Three-dimensional calculations; moderator; Unsteady state; Neutron moderator; Modeling; ECCS; Nuclear reactor; CANDU; CANDU type reactors; Emergency cooling; Heavy water reactor; Pressure loss; porous media; Reactor core
• ISSN: 0022-3131; 1881-1248
• DOI: 10.1080/18811248.2006.9711129

Three-dimensional numerical calculations have been performed for a transient moderator circulation inside the CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) calandria vessel of Wolsong Units 2/3/4. The porous media approach was applied for the core region containing 380 calandria tubes. An anisotropic hydraulic resistance model for the porous media has been developed based on the empirical pressure loss correlations. The selected event was the 35% RIH (Reactor Inlet Header) break with a loss of ECC (Emergency Core Cooling) injection, which has been known to give the largest heat load to the moderator among all the DBA's (Design Basis Accidents). The calculation has been successfully done until 1,200 s after the break, when most of the considerable heat transfer procedure has been completed. During this LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident) transient, the local subcoolings in the vicinity of any PT/CT (Pressure Tube/Calandria Tube) contact does not drop below the experimentally derived subcooling threshold of 30°C. Because the minimum subcoolings reach only a few degrees to the threshold temperature during the initial 20-40 s, future work on the CANDU moderator circulation needs to be aimed at determining whether this small subcooling margin covers the uncertainty of the moderator analysis.