Experiments on the Thermal Stratification in the Branch of NPP

The thermal stratification phenomena, frequently occurring in the component of nuclear power plant system such as pressurizer surge line, steam generator inlet nozzle, safety injection system (SIS), and chemical and volume control system (CVCS), can cause through-wall cracks, thermal fatigue, unexpected piping displacement and dislocation, and pipe support damage. The phenomenon is one of the unaccounted load in the design stage. However, the load have been found to be serious as nuclear power plant operation experience accumulates. In particular, the thermal stratification by the turbulent penetration or valve leak in the SIS and SCS pipe line can lead these safety systems to failure by the thermal fatigue. Therefore in this study an 1/10 scaledowned experimental rig had been designed and installed. And a series of experimental works had been executed to measure the temperature distribution (thermal stratification) in these systems by the turbulent penetration, valve leak, and heat transfer through valve. The results provide very valuable informations such as turbulent penetration depth, the possibility of thermal stratification by the heat transfer through valve, etc. Also the results are expected to be useful to understand the thermal stratification in these systems, establish the thermal strati­fication criteria and validate the calculation results by CFD Codes such as Fluent, Phenix, CFX.