Numerical Method for Analysis of Coolant Dynamics under Reactivity Initiated Accident Condition

• Published in: Journal of nuclear science and technology Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 183 - 201
• Main Authors: SHIMEGI, Nobuo, AOYAMA, Koichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis 01.03.1985; Atomic Energy Society of Japan; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; BWR type reactors; CAGE method; computer calculation; computer codes; control rod drop accident; coolant dynamics; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; hot stand-by condition; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; numerical analysis method; pressure changes; reactivity initiated accident; RELAP4/MOD6; Boiling water reactor; Type; Coolant; Methodology; Dynamics; Analysis; Japan; Comparative study; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0022-3131; 1881-1248
• DOI: 10.1080/18811248.1985.9735647

The CACE (Compressible Advanced Continuous-Fluid Eulerian) method, a numerical method for analyses of RIA (Reactivity Initiated Accident) induced coolant dynamics is examined. It is a semi-implicit method whereby an energy equation plays an important role in convergence of iterations and in calculating the pressure transient. A hypothetical BWR rod drop accident, at a hot stand-by condition, is calculated to evaluate the method applicability to RIA induced coolant dynamic analyses using a code composed of one-point kinetic and one-dimensional multi-channel models. The calculated results demonstrate successful application of the CACE method. In addition, comparison with results by RELAP4/MOD6 confirms that the CACE method is superior in terms of stability. It can calculate the pressure change caused by rapid heating, a problem which cannot be calculated for the same time step width by RELAP4/MOD6.