초록
The present study is to assess the applicability of the best-estimate thermal-hydraulic codes, RELAP5/MOD3.2 and CATHARE2V1.3U, to the analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior in PWRs during midloop operation following the loss of RHRS. The codes simulate an integral test, BETHSY 6.94, which was conducted in the large scale test facility of BETHSY in France. The test represents the accident where the loss of RHRS occurs during midloop operation with the pressurizer and upper head vents open and the sight level indicator broken. Besides, the hot legs are half filled with water and the upper parts of the primary cooling system are filled with nitrogen, with a letdown line open and only one SG available. The purposes of this study are to understand the physical phenomena associated with reflux cooling in the 5G U-tubes when noncondensable gas is present under low pressure and to assess the applicability of the codes to simulate the loss of RHRS event by comparing the predictions with the test results. The results of the study may contribute to actual applications for plant safety evaluation and description of the emergency operating procedure.