ATHOS3 code analysis of tube plugging effects on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a once-through steam generator

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5900932

Keeton, L W; Singhal, A K; Irani, A

The effects of tube plugging on local and global thermal-hydraulic parameters are analyzed for a full-scale once-through steam generator (Three-Mile Island Unit 1A). A three-dimensional analysis has been performed, by considering all pertinent geometric details, including the presence of an open tube-free lane in the generator. Three test cases have been analyzed by using the ATHOS3 computer code. First, a normal unit is simulated, and then the same unit with about 8% plugged tubes is simulated by using the same computational grid. Finally, the plugged-tube case is analyzed with a finer grid. In all calculations, the algebraic-slip flow model, based on a drift-flux formulation, has been used with the assumption of thermal equilibrium between steam and water. The calculations indicate that, although the plugged tubes to not have any major effect on the overall thermal-hydraulic parameters, they do induce severe non-uniformities in the flow field. For example, over a small circumferential sector, wet steam is predicted to be exiting radially to the steam outlet. Further numerical and experimental investigations are recommended for the verification of such details.

• OSTI ID: 5900932
• Report Number(s): CONF-861211-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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