The Phenix ultimate natural convection test
- CEA, DER, SESI, F-13108, Saint Paul lez Durance (France)
- CEA, DEN, STMF, F-38054, Grenoble (France)
- CEA, DEN, DEIM, F-30207, Bagnols-sur-Ceze (France)
The French sodium cooled fast reactor Phenix was shut down in 2009 after 35 years of operation. Before decommissioning, a final set of tests were performed by the CEA during 9 months. Several topics were involved such as thermal hydraulics, core physics and fuel behaviour. Among these ultimate experiments, two thermal hydraulic tests were performed: an asymmetrical test consisting in a trip of one secondary pump and a natural convection test in the primary circuit. Recognizing the unique opportunity offered by these Phenix ultimate tests, IAEA decided in 2007 to launch a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) devoted to benchmarking analyses with system codes on the Phenix natural convection test. One objective of the natural convection test in Phenix reactor is the assessment of the CATHARE system code for safety studies on future and advanced sodium cooled fast reactors. The aim of this paper is to describe this test, which was performed on June 22-23, 2009, and the associated benchmark specifications for the CRP work. The paper reminds briefly the Phenix reactor with the main physical parameters and the instrumentation used during the natural convection test. After that, the test scenario is described: - initial state at a power of 120 MWth, - test beginning resulting from a manual dry out of the two steam generators, - manual scram, - manual trip on the three primary pumps without back-up by pony motors, - setting and development of natural convection in the primary circuit, in a first phase without significant heat sink in the secondary circuits and in a second phase with significant heat sink in the secondary circuits, by opening the casing of steam generators to create an efficient heat sink, by air natural circulation in the steam generators casing. The benchmark case ends after this second phase, which corresponds to the experimental test duration of nearly 7 hours. The paper presents also the benchmark specifications data supplied by the CEA to all participants of this CRP in order to perform calculations (core, primary circuit, primary pumps, IHX, shutdown system, operating parameters, test scenario and real test conditions). Finally, main test results and analyses are presented including the evolution of the core and of the heat exchangers inlet and outlet temperatures, and some local temperature measurements. The natural convection has been easily set up in the pool type reactor Phenix with different boundary conditions at the secondary side, with or without heat sink. The data obtained during this unique test represent some very useful and precious results for the development of SFR in a wide range of thematic such as numerical methods dedicated to thermal-hydraulics safety analyses (system codes, CFD codes and coupling system and CFD codes) and instrumentation. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22105999
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICAPP '12: 2012 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants, Chicago, IL (United States), 24-28 Jun 2012; Other Information: Country of input: France; 5 refs.; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2012 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants - ICAPP '12| 2799 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
AIR
BENCHMARKS
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CEA
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT SINKS
IAEA
NATURAL CONVECTION
PHENIX REACTOR
POOL TYPE REACTORS
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SCRAM
STEAM GENERATORS
TESTING
THERMAL HYDRAULICS