Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
Thermal mixing and boron dilution in a pressurized water reactor were analyzed with COMMIX codes. The reactor system was the four-loop Zion reactor. Two boron dilution scenarios were analyzed. In the first scenario, the plant is in cold shutdown and the reactor coolant system has just been filled after maintenance on the steam generators. To flush the air out of the steam generator tubes, a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is started, with the water in the pump suction line devoid of boron and at the same temperature as the coolant in the system. In the second scenario, the plant is at hot standby and the reactor coolant system has been heated to operating temperature after a long outage. It is assumed that an RCP is started, with the pump suction line filled with cold unborated water, forcing a slug of diluted coolant down the downcomer and subsequently through the reactor core. The subsequent transient thermal mixing and boron dilution that would occur in the reactor system is simulated for these two scenarios. The reactivity insertion rate and the total reactivity are evaluated and a sensitivity study is performed to assess the accuracy of the numerical modeling of the geometry of the reactor coolant system.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Safety Programs; Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 39107
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-6266; ANL-94/35; ON: TI95009923; TRN: 95:003421
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Mar 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Analysis of thermal mixing and boron dilution in a PWR
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