Benchmark evaluation of the RELAP code to calculate boiling in narrow channels

Conference · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:6371391

Kunze, J F; Loyalka, S K ^[1]; McKibben, J C; Hultsch, R; Oladiran, O

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1. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia (USA)

The RELAP code has been tested with benchmark experiments (such as the loss-of-fluid test experiments at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory) at high pressures and temperatures characteristic of those encountered in loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs) in commercial light water power reactors. Application of RELAP to the LOCA analysis of a low pressure (< 7 atm) and low temperature (< 100{degree}C), plate-type research reactor, such as the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), the high-flux breeder reactor, high-flux isotope reactor, and Advanced Test Reactor, requires resolution of questions involving overextrapolation to very low pressures and low temperatures, and calculations of the pulsed boiling/reflood conditions in the narrow rectangular cross-section channels (typically 2 mm thick) of the plate fuel elements. The practical concern of this problem is that plate fuel temperatures predicted by RELAP5 (MOD2, version 3) during the pulsed boiling period can reach high enough temperatures to cause plate (clad) weakening, though not melting. Since an experimental benchmark of RELAP under such LOCA conditions is not available and since such conditions present substantial challenges to the code, it is important to verify the code predictions. The comparison of the pulsed boiling experiments with the RELAP calculations involves both visual observations of void fraction versus time and measurements of temperatures near the fuel plate surface.

• OSTI ID: 6371391
• Report Number(s): CONF-900608-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 91-008363
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 61; Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) annual meeting, Nashville, TN (USA), 10-14 Jun 1990; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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