• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

This study aimed at assessing the analysis capability of thermal-hydraulic computer code, MARS for the behaviors of the core make-up tank (CMT). The sensitivity study on the nodalization to simulate the CMT was conducted, and the MARS calculations were compared with KAIST experimental data and RELAP5/MOD3.3 calculations. The 12-node model was fixed through a nodalization study to investigate the effect of the number of nodes in the CMT (2-, 4-, 8-, 12-, 16-node). The sensitivity studies on various parameters, such as water subcooling of the CMT, steam pressure, and natural circulation flow were done. MARS calculations were reasonable in the injection time and the effects of several parameters on the CMT behaviors even though the mesh-dependency should be properly treated for reactor applications.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.104-108
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• 2014

The recent Fukushima nuclear power plant accidents shows that the core make up at high RCS pressure condition is very important to prevent core melting. The core make up flow at high pressure condition should be driven by gravity force or passive forces because the AC-powered safety features are not available during a Station Black Out (SBO) accident. The reactor Coolant System (RCS) mass inventory is continuously decreased by releasing steam through the pressurizer safety valves after reactor trip during a SBO accident. The core will be melted down within 2~3 hours without core make up action by active or passive mode. In the new design concept of a Hybrid Safety Injection Tank (Hybrid SIT) both for low and high RCS pressure conditions, the low pressure nitrogen gas serves as a charging pressure for a LBLOCA injection mode, while the PZR high pressure steam provides an equalizing pressure for a high pressure injection mode such as a SBO accident. After the pressure equalizing process by battery driven initiation valve at a high pressure SBO condition, the Hybrid SIT injection water will be passively injected into the reactor downcomer by gravity head. The SBO simulation by MARS code show that the core makeup injection flow through the Hybrid SIT continued up to the SIT empty condition, and the core heatup is delayed as much.