TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5

Baek, J. S.; Cuadra, A.; Aronson, A.; Diamond, D.; Yarsky, P.

doi:10.13182/NT16-29

Title: TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5

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Abstract

In this study, TRACE/PARCS model has been developed to analyze anticipated transient without SCRAM (ATWS) events for a boiling water reactor (BWR) operating in the maximum extended load line limit analysis-plus (MELLLA+) expanded operating domain. The MELLLA+ domain expands allowable operation in the power/flow map of a BWR to low flow rates at high power conditions. Such operation exacerbates the likelihood of large amplitude power/flow oscillations during certain ATWS scenarios. The analysis shows that large amplitude power/flow oscillations, both core-wide and out-of-phase, arise following the establishment of natural circulation flow in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) after the trip of the recirculation pumps and an increase in core inlet subcooling. The analysis also indicates a mechanism by which the fuel may experience heat-up that could result in localized fuel damage. TRACE predicts the heat -up to occur when the cladding surface temperature exceeds the minimum stable film boiling temperature after periodic cycles of dryout and rewet; and the fuel becomes “locked” into a film boiling regime. Further, the analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the simulated manual operator actions to suppress the instability.

Authors:

L. Y. Cheng; Baek, J. S. ^[1]; Cuadra, A. ^[1]; Aronson, A. ^[1]; Diamond, D. ^[1]; Yarsky, P. ^[2]

Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)

Publication Date:: 2016-06-06

Research Org.:: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Non-NUREG, Washington, DC (United States); American Nuclear Society; USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1239794

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1263905

Report Number(s):: BNL-111742-2016-JA; BNL-112141-2016-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450; TRN: US1601634

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012704; SC00112704

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Nuclear Technology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 196; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450

Publisher:: American Nuclear Society (ANS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 42 ENGINEERING; BWR MELLLA+ operating domain; ATWS instability; TRACE/PARCS model of operator actions

Citation Formats


                    L.  Y.  Cheng, Baek, J. S., Cuadra, A., Aronson, A., Diamond, D., and Yarsky, P.. TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
Web.  doi:10.13182/NT16-29.

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                    L.  Y.  Cheng, Baek, J. S., Cuadra, A., Aronson, A., Diamond, D., & Yarsky, P.. TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.13182/NT16-29

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                    L.  Y.  Cheng, Baek, J. S., Cuadra, A., Aronson, A., Diamond, D., and Yarsky, P.. Mon .  
"TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.13182/NT16-29.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1239794.

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@article{osti_1239794,

  title        = {TRACE/PARCS Analysis of ATWS with Instability for a MELLLA+BWR/5},

  author       = {L.  Y.  Cheng and Baek, J. S. and Cuadra, A. and Aronson, A. and Diamond, D. and Yarsky, P.},

  abstractNote = {In this study, TRACE/PARCS model has been developed to analyze anticipated transient without SCRAM (ATWS) events for a boiling water reactor (BWR) operating in the maximum extended load line limit analysis-plus (MELLLA+) expanded operating domain. The MELLLA+ domain expands allowable operation in the power/flow map of a BWR to low flow rates at high power conditions. Such operation exacerbates the likelihood of large amplitude power/flow oscillations during certain ATWS scenarios. The analysis shows that large amplitude power/flow oscillations, both core-wide and out-of-phase, arise following the establishment of natural circulation flow in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) after the trip of the recirculation pumps and an increase in core inlet subcooling. The analysis also indicates a mechanism by which the fuel may experience heat-up that could result in localized fuel damage. TRACE predicts the heat -up to occur when the cladding surface temperature exceeds the minimum stable film boiling temperature after periodic cycles of dryout and rewet; and the fuel becomes “locked” into a film boiling regime. Further, the analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the simulated manual operator actions to suppress the instability.},

  doi          = {10.13182/NT16-29},

  journal      = {Nuclear Technology},

  number       = 2,

  volume       = 196,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2016},

  month        = {6}

}

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