Effects of vessel internal structures on simulated HCDA bubble expansions. Technical Report No. 5
In a transparent 1/30-scale model of a loop-type LMFBR, water simulated the sodium coolant, and nitrogen (1450 psia) or flashing water (1160 psia) simulated expansion of sodium vapor and molten fuel. The upper core structure (UCS) simulated an array of empty hexcans, and the upper internal structure (UIS) simulated the control rod and flow guides. For the nitrogen expansion, the presence of a UCS only, a UIS only, and both a UCS and UIS reduced the peak water surface velocity by 7 to 52%, the peak slug kinetic energy by 15 to 78%, the impact pressure on the cover by 19 to 51%, and the impact impulse by 11 to 27%. For the flashing water expansion, the presence of a UCS only, a UIS only, and both a UCS and UIS reduced the peak water surface velocity by 7 to 45%, the peak slug kinetic energy by 15 to 74%, the impact pressure by 28 to 71%, and the impact impulse by 22 to 25%. Results indicate that internal vessel structures markedly attenuate the potential of an HCDA transient for damaging the reactor vessel. The work potential of the nitrogen and flashing water bubble sources with and without internal structures were also compared with an adiabatic quasi-static expansion of each bubble source. Flow and nonequilibrium effects are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT03-76SF70097
- OSTI ID:
- 6350283
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/SF/70097-T9; ON: DE81026722
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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