Integrity evaluation methods for nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) under pressurized thermal shock (PTS) loading are applied by French Utility. They are based on the analysis of the behavior of relatively shallow cracks under loading PTS conditions due to the emergency cooling during small break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) transients. This paper presents the research and development program started at EDF on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) determination of the cooling phenomena of a PWR vessel during a pressurized thermal shock. The numerical results are obtained with the thermal-hydraulic tool Code̱Saturne, in combination with the thermal-solid code SYRTHES to take into account the coupled effect of heat transfer between the fluid flow and the vessel. Based on the global and local thermal-hydraulic analysis of a small break loss of coolant accident transient, this paper presents mainly a parametric study that helps to understand the main phenomena that can lead to better estimating the margin factors. The geometry studied represents a third of a PWR pressure vessel, and the configuration investigated is related to the injection of cold water in the vessel during a SBLOCA transient. Conservative initial and boundary conditions for the CFD calculation are derived from the global thermal-hydraulic analysis. Both the fluid behavior and its impact on the solid part formed by cladding and base metal are considered. The main purpose of the numerical thermal-hydraulic studies is to accurately estimate the distribution of fluid temperature in the downcomer and the heat transfer coefficients on the inner RPV surface for a fracture mechanics computation, which will subsequently assess the associated RPV safety margin factors.
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e-mail: alain-cc.martin@edf.fr
e-mail: sofiane.benhamadouche@edf.fr
e-mail: frederic.beaud@edf.fr
e-mail: frederic.lestang@edf.fr
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June 2011
Research Papers
CFD Tool for Assessment of the Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity in Pressure Thermal Shock Conditions: Influence of Turbulence Model and Mesh Refinement on the Vessel Thermal Loading During PTS Transient
A. Martin,
A. Martin
Research and Development Division, Fluid Dynamics Power Generation and Environment Department,
e-mail: alain-cc.martin@edf.fr
Electricité De France
, 78400 Chatou, France
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S. Benhamadouche,
S. Benhamadouche
Research and Development Division, Fluid Dynamics Power Generation and Environment Department,
e-mail: sofiane.benhamadouche@edf.fr
Electricité De France
, 78400 Chatou, France
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G. Bezdikian,
G. Bezdikian
Nuclear Production Division,
Electricité De France
, Cap Ampère, 1 Place Pleyel, 93207 Saint-Denis cedex, France
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F. Beaud,
F. Beaud
Engineering Division, SEPTEN,
e-mail: frederic.beaud@edf.fr
Electricité De France
, 12-14 Avenue Dutrievoz, 69628 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
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F. Lestang
F. Lestang
Engineering Division, SEPTEN,
e-mail: frederic.lestang@edf.fr
Electricité De France
, 12-14 Avenue Dutrievoz, 69628 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
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A. Martin
Research and Development Division, Fluid Dynamics Power Generation and Environment Department,
Electricité De France
, 78400 Chatou, Francee-mail: alain-cc.martin@edf.fr
S. Benhamadouche
Research and Development Division, Fluid Dynamics Power Generation and Environment Department,
Electricité De France
, 78400 Chatou, Francee-mail: sofiane.benhamadouche@edf.fr
G. Bezdikian
Nuclear Production Division,
Electricité De France
, Cap Ampère, 1 Place Pleyel, 93207 Saint-Denis cedex, France
F. Beaud
Engineering Division, SEPTEN,
Electricité De France
, 12-14 Avenue Dutrievoz, 69628 Villeurbanne Cedex, Francee-mail: frederic.beaud@edf.fr
F. Lestang
Engineering Division, SEPTEN,
Electricité De France
, 12-14 Avenue Dutrievoz, 69628 Villeurbanne Cedex, Francee-mail: frederic.lestang@edf.fr
J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Jun 2011, 133(3): 031302 (6 pages)
Published Online: April 7, 2011
Article history
Received:
December 16, 2005
Revised:
February 28, 2008
Online:
April 7, 2011
Published:
April 7, 2011
Citation
Martin, A., Benhamadouche, S., Bezdikian, G., Beaud, F., and Lestang, F. (April 7, 2011). "CFD Tool for Assessment of the Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity in Pressure Thermal Shock Conditions: Influence of Turbulence Model and Mesh Refinement on the Vessel Thermal Loading During PTS Transient." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. June 2011; 133(3): 031302. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3027494
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