CHF Experiments under Steady-State and Transient Conditions for Tight Lattice Core with Non-Uniform Axial Power Distribution

Abstract

Steady-state and transient critical heat flux (CHF) experiments were performed using triangular pitched 7-rod assemblies with non-uniform axial power distributions under the maximum pressure of 15.5 MPa. The onset of steady-state CHF was predicted within the uncertainty of 10% with the KfK correlation using the local flow conditions calculated by the subchannel analysis code COBRA-IV-T. On the other hand, various mechanistic CHF models did not agree with the steady-state CHF data. The transient CHFs under the conditions of flow reduction, power increase or flow and power simultaneous variation were predicted with the quasi-steady-state method within approximately the same uncertainty as the steady-state CHF experiments. The predictive capability did not depend on the transient speed within 30%/s of the flow reduction rate and within 120%/s of the power increase rate. It was also revealed that there exists large CHF margins under the thermal hydraulic conditions simulating the locked rotor accident and the control rod cluster ejection accident of the double-flat-core type high conversion pressurized water reactor (HCPWR).

KEYWORDS:

• steady-state conditions
• transients
• critical heat fiux
• accuracy
• sub-channel analysis
• accident analysis
• simulation test
• thermal-hydraulics
• fluid flow
• HCL WR type reactors