The Study on a Real-time Flow-rate Calculation Method by the Measurement of Coolant Pump Power in an Integral Reactor

일체형원자로에서 냉각재펌프의 전력측정을 이용한 실시간 유량산정 방법에 관한 연구

It is the common features of the integral reactors that the main components of the RCS are installed within the reactor vessel, and so there are no any flow pipes connecting the coolant pumps or steam generators. Due to no any flow pipes, it is impossible to measure the differential pressure at the RCS of the integral reactors, and it also makes impossible measure the flow-rate of the reactor coolant. As a alternative method, the method by the measurement of coolant pump power has been introduced in this study. Up to now, we did not found out a precedent which the coolant pump power is used for the real-time flow-rate calculation at normal operation of the commercial nuclear power plants. The objective of the study is to embody the real-time flow-rate calculation method by the measurement of coolant pump power in an integral reactor. As a result of the study, we could theoretically reason that the capacity-head curve and capacity-shaft power curve around the rated capacity with the high specific-speeded axial flow pumps have each diagonally steep incline but show the similar shape. Also, we could confirm the above theoretical reasoning from the measured result of the pump motor inputs, So, it has been concluded that it is possible to calculate the real-time flow-rate by the measurement of pump motor inputs. In addition, the compensation for a above new method can be made by HBM being now used in the commercial nuclear power plants.