• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.125-130
• /
• 1984

In the application of the RETRAN code to the analysis of very small LOCA one of main concerns is placed on use of the bubble rise model in the upper plenum, because the bubble rise model nay cause a numerical divergence problem and coefficients used to describe it are based on experimental results of large LOCA. In order to solve this problem, a method, which enables us to predict the mixture level in the upper plenum without use of the bubble rise model, was proposed. For this method the local void distribution in the core and upper plenum was derived by using a simplified slip model. It was shown that results predicted from the derived equation are in excellent agreement with experimental data. Additionally it was found that local void in the upper plenum has a uniform distribution unlike a linear distribution in large LOCA. Communication between the upper plenum and upper head was investigated. By introducing the concept of Taylor instability, it was proved that counter-current Hon between them is possible.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
• /
• v.1 no.4
• /
• pp.276-289
• /
• 1989

The airflow characteristics in both the upper plenum and the clean space of clean room are investigated by measuring the pressure distribution of the upper plenum and the velocity profile in the clean space, at the various conditions of the supplied airflow rate, the volume of upper plenum and the air supply type. The performance of vertical air supply type and horizontal air supply type is analyzed in terms of the airflow uniformity which is frequently used in indicating the clean room performance, and the relations among the volume of upper plenum, the supplied airflow rate and the airflow uniformity are confirmed. The results of this experimental study can be applied to the designing of the upper plenum of clean room.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.05a
• /
• pp.187-194
• /
• 2010

Shape optimization of an upper plenum of PBMR type gas cooled nuclear reactor has been performed by using three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) analysis and surrogate modeling technique. The objective function is defined as a linear combination of uniformity of flow distribution in the core and pressure drop in the upper plenum and the core. The ratio of thickness of slot to diameter of rising channels, ratio of height of upper plenum to diameter of rising channels, and ratio of eight of the slot at inlet to outlet, are used as design variables for optimization. Design points are selected through Latin-hypercube sampling. The optimal point is determined through surrogate-based optimization method which uses 3-D RANS analyses at design points. The results show that the optimum shape represent remarkably improved performance in flow uniformity and friction loss than the reference shape.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2010

Shape optimization of an upper plenum of a PBMR type gas cooled nuclear reactor has been performed by using three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) analysis and surrogate modeling technique. The objective function is defined as a linear combination of uniformity of flow distribution in the core and pressure drop in the upper plenum and the core. The ratio of thickness of slot to diameter of rising channels, ratio of height of upper plenum to diameter of rising channels, and ratio of height of the slot at inlet to outlet, are used as design variables for optimization. Design points are selected through Latin-hypercube sampling. The optimal point is determined through surrogate-based optimization method which uses 3-D RANS analyses at design points. The results show that the optimum shape represent remarkably improved performance in flow uniformity and friction loss than the reference shape.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.191-202
• /
• 2013

A numerical analysis of thermal stratification in the upper plenum of the MONJU fast breeder reactor was performed. Calculations were performed for a 1/6 simplified model of the MONJU reactor using the commercial code, CFX-13. To better resolve the geometrically complex upper core structure of the MONJU reactor, the porous media approach was adopted for the simulation. First, a steady state solution was obtained and the transient solutions were then obtained for the turbine trip test conducted in December 1995. The time dependent inlet conditions for the mass flow rate and temperature were provided by JAEA. Good agreement with the experimental data was observed for steady state solution. The numerical solution of the transient analysis shows the formation of thermal stratification within the upper plenum of the reactor vessel during the turbine trip test. The temporal variations of temperature were predicted accurately by the present method in the initial rapid coastdown period (~300 seconds). However, transient numerical solutions show a faster thermal mixing than that observed in the experiment after the initial coastdown period. A nearly homogenization of the temperature field in the upper plenum is predicted after about 900 seconds, which is a much shorter-term thermal stratification than the experimental data indicates. This discrepancy may be due to the shortcoming of the turbulence models available in the CFX-13 code for a natural convection flow with thermal stratification.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 2014

A computational study of a thermal striping in the upper plenum of PGSFR(Prototype Generation-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) being developed at the KAERI(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is presented. The LES(Large Eddy Simulation) approach is employed for the simulation of thermal striping in the upper plenum of the PGSFR. The LES is performed using the WALE (Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity) model. More than 19.7 million unstructured elements are generated in upper plenum region of the PGSFR using the CFX-Mesh commercial code. The time-averaged velocity components and temperature field in the complicated upper plenum of the PGSFR are presented. The time history of temperature fluctuation at the eight locations of solid walls of UIS(Upper Internal Structure) and IHX(Intermediate Heat eXchanger) are additionally stored. It has been confirmed that the most vulnerable regions to thermal striping are the first plate of UIS. From the temporal variation of temperature at the solid walls, it was possible to find the locations where the thermal stress is large and need to assess whether the solid structures can endure the thermal stress during the reactor life time.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.8
• /
• pp.2835-2843
• /
• 2023

After an emergency shutdown of a lead-bismuth fast reactor, thermal stratification occurs in the upper Plenum, which negatively impacts the integrity of the reactor structure and the residual heat removal capacity of natural circulation flow. The research on thermal stratification of reactors has mainly been conducted using an experimental method, a system program, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). However, the equipment required for the experimental method is expensive, accuracy of the system program is unpredictable, and resources and time required for the CFD approach are extensive. To overcome the defects of thermal stratification analysis, a high-precision full-order thermal stratification model based on CFD technology is prepared in this study. Furthermore, a reduced-order model has been developed by combining proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) with Galerkin projection. A comparative analysis of thermal stratification with the proposed full-order model reveals that the reduced-order thermal stratification model can well simulate the temperature distribution in the upper plenum and rapidly elucidate the thermal stratification interface characteristics during the lead-bismuth fast reactor accident. Overall, this study provides an analytical tool for determining the thermal stratification mechanism and reducing thermal stratification.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.41-48
• /
• 2012

A numerical analysis of thermal stratification in the upper plenum of the MONJU fast breeder reactor was performed. Calculations were performed for a 1/6 simplified model of the MONJU reactor using the commercial code, CFX-13. To better resolve the geometrically complex upper core structure of the MONJU reactor, the porous media approach was adopted for the simulation. First, a steady state solution was obtained and the transient solutions were then obtained for the turbine trip test conducted in December 1995. The time dependent inlet conditions for the mass flow rate and temperature were provided by JAEA. Good agreement with the experimental data was observed for steady state solution. The numerical solution of the transient analysis shows the formation of thermal stratification within the upper plenum of the reactor vessel during the turbine trip test. The temporal variations of temperature were predicted accurately by the present method in the initial rapid coastdown period (~300 seconds). However, transient numerical solutions show a faster thermal mixing than that observed in the experiment after the initial coastdown period. A nearly homogenization of the temperature field in the upper plenum is predicted after about 900 seconds, which is a much shorter-term thermal stratification than the experimental data indicates. This discrepancy is due to the shortcoming of the turbulence models available in the CFX-13 code for a natural convection flow with thermal stratification.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.557-564
• /
• 2005

Air-water countercurrent flow limitation at perforated plates with four holes was investigated in a vertical tank to see the effects of the plate thickness, the number of hole, and the diameter of the hole on the onset of CCFL. The thickness of plates was 1 cm and 4 cm, with a relatively large hole diameter of 5 cm. The collapsed water level formed on the perforated plate and its distribution in the upper plenum were measured. The gas flow rate in the multi-hole plate is relatively higher than one in the single tube because some of holes in the multi-hole plate provide a flow path fur liquid with less air-liquid resistance than in the single tube. The onset of CCFL occurred at nearly the same air flow rate regardless of the plate thickness. The negligible effect of the plate thickness on CCFL means that the flooding is initiated at the top of the plate rather than at its bottom. It turns out that $j_k$ and $K_k$ better fit the data than $H_k$ when hole diameter is greater than 2.86 cm. In our experimental ranges, the collapsed water levels at the onset of CCFL ranged from 7.5 cm to 10.5 cm. There was no three dimensional distribution of water level before and after the onset of CCFL.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.92-99
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to apply pressurized plenum under floor air conditioning system to office areas to understand characteristics of indoor thermal environment based on forms of diffusers. For doing this, the author conducted experiment of module measurement, and based on the results, analyzed indoor temperature distribution and velocity distribution based on direction of diffusion by using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD), and estimated the Predicted Mean Vote(PMV) of residents based on forms of diffusers to present the optimal air conditioning of the pressurized plenum under floor air conditioning system in heating. The results of this study are as follows. First, as for forms of diffusers, distributed diffusers rather than conical and grill diffusers were favorable in maintaining $24^{\circ}C$, the established temperature in heating, were active in velocity flowing, and were wide in a radius of diffusion. Second, as for position of pressurizing, the difference between upper and lower temperature was wider in center, lateral, and dispersed pressurizing (in order). As for velocity distribution, the velocity was more increased in lateral, center, and dispersed pressurizing(in order), indicating that dispersed pressurizing maintained uniform thermal environment. Third, as for diffusion direction, mixed direction showed less difference between upper and lower temperature and the difference in velocity between center and lateral part was 0.01m/1, indicating that it maintained uniform thermal environment. Fourth, as for the PMV of residents based on the forms of diffusers, the dispersed type showed(+) values above (0) when applied variably based on the position of diffuser, presenting thermal feeling of "being comfortable" to residents.