• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.691-708
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• 2009

In order to analyze thermal hydraulic phenomena during a DVI (Direct Vessel Injection) line break LOCA (Loss-of-Coolant Accident) in the APR1400 (Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MWe), we performed experimental studies with the SNUF (Seoul National University Facility), a reduced-height and reduce-pressure integral test loop with a scaled down APR1400. We performed experiments dealing with eight test cases under varied tests. As a result of the experiment, the primary system pressure, the coolant temperature, and the occurrence time of the downcomer seal clearing were affected significantly by the thermal power in the core and the SI flow rate. The break area played a dominant role in the vent of the steam. For our analytical investigation, we used the MARS code for simulation of the experiments to validate the calculation capability of the code. The results of the analysis showed good and sufficient agreement with the results of the experiment. However, the analysis revealed a weak capability in predicting the bypass flow of the SI water toward the broken DVI line, and it was insufficient to simulate the streamline contraction in the broken side. We, hence, need to improve the MARS code.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.719-726
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• 2012

The object of this work is the validation and assessment of the TRACE v5.0 code using the scaled test ATLAS1 facility in the context of a DVI2 line break. In particular, the experiment selected models the 50%, 6-inch break of a DVI line. The same experiment was also adopted as a reference test in the ISP-503. The ISP-50 was proposed to, and accepted by, the OECD/NEA/CSNI due to its technical importance in the development of a best-estimate of safety analysis methodology for DVI line break accidents. In particular, the behavior of the two-phase flow in the upper annulus downcomer was expected to be complicated. What resulted was the need for relevant models to be implemented into safety analysis codes, in order to predict these thermal hydraulic phenomena correctly.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.655-676
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• 2009

The first-ever integral effect test for simulating a guillotine break of a DVI (Direct Vessel Injection) line of the APR1400 was carried out with the ATLAS (Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation) from the same prototypic pressure and temperature conditions as those of the APR1400. The major thermal hydraulic behaviors during a DVI line break accident were identified and investigated experimentally. A method for estimating the break flow based on a balance between the change in RCS inventory and the injection flow is proposed to overcome a direct break low measurement deficiency. A post-test calculation was performed with a best-estimate safety analysis code MARS 3.1 to examine its prediction capability and to identify any code deficiencies for the thermal hydraulic phenomena occurring during the DVI line break accidents. On the whole, the prediction of the MARS code shows a good agreement with the measured data. However, the code predicted a higher core level than did the data just before a loop seal clearing occurs, leading to no increase in the peak cladding temperature. The code also produced a more rapid decrease in the downcomer water level than was predicted by the data. These observable disagreements are thought to be caused by uncertainties in predicting countercurrent flow or condensation phenomena in a downcomer region. The present integral effect test data will be used to support the present conservative safety analysis methodology and to develop a new best-estimate safety analysis methodology for DVI line break accidents of the APR1400.