Analysis of a pressurizer surge line thermal stratification

Book · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:124701

Jimenez, P; Santiago, P ^[1]

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1. Empresarios Agrupados, Madrid (Spain). Applied Mechanics Dept.

The thermal stratification of fluid occurs in piping lines connected to containers, vessels or other lines containing fluids at different temperatures. This phenomenon occurs mainly in conditions of low flow rate through piping and in case of laminar flow. In nuclear power plants using pressurized water reactors, one of the types of line most affected by this phenomenon is the surge line (nuclear class 1) connecting the pressurizer to a loop of the reactor coolant system (RCS). This concern has already been identified in several power plants, where it led in some cases to support breaks. For this reason, the US NRC required in the NRC Bulletin 88-11 that the effects of this phenomenon be studied, as well as its impact on the surge line. This paper describes the concept of stratification and examines the different analyses to be performed for this type of line.

• OSTI ID: 124701
• Report Number(s): CONF-950740--; ISBN 0-7918-1332-0
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BENDING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FATIGUE
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FLUID MECHANICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PIPES
PRESSURIZERS
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMAL ANALYSIS
THERMAL STRESSES