Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event
One of the transients that have received considerable attention in the safety evaluation of RBMK reactors is the partial break of a group distribution header (GDH). The coolant flow rate blockage in one GDH might lead to excessive heat-up of the pressure tubes and can result in multiple fuel channel...
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Wiley
2007-01-01
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| Series: | Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/87834 |
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| author | A. Lombardi Costa M. Cherubini F. D'Auria W. Giannotti A. Moskalev |
| author_facet | A. Lombardi Costa M. Cherubini F. D'Auria W. Giannotti A. Moskalev |
| author_sort | A. Lombardi Costa |
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| description | One of the transients that have received considerable attention in the safety evaluation of RBMK reactors is the partial break of a group distribution header (GDH). The coolant flow rate blockage in one GDH might lead to excessive heat-up of the pressure tubes and can result in multiple fuel channels (FC) ruptures. In this work, the GDH flow blockage transient has been studied considering the Smolensk-3 RBMK NPP (nuclear power plant). In the RBMK, each GDH distributes coolant to 40–43 FC. To investigate the behavior of each FC belonging to the damaged GDH and to have a more realistic trend, one (affected) GDH has been schematized with its forty-two FC, one by one. The calculations were performed using the 0-D NK (neutron kinetic) model of the RELAP5-3.3 stand-alone code. The results show that, during the event, the mass flow rate is disturbed differently according to the power distribution established for each FC in the schematization. The start time of the oscillations in mass flow rate depends strongly on the attributed power to each FC. It was also observed that, during the event, the fuel channels at higher thermal power values tend to undergo first cladding rupture leaving the reactor to scram and safeguarding all the other FCs connected to the affected GDH. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d850509eadbc467bb6b613fcecccd3d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-6075 1687-6083 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2007-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations |
| spelling | doaj-art-d850509eadbc467bb6b613fcecccd3d62025-02-03T05:48:13ZengWileyScience and Technology of Nuclear Installations1687-60751687-60832007-01-01200710.1155/2007/8783487834Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage EventA. Lombardi Costa0M. Cherubini1F. D'Auria2W. Giannotti3A. Moskalev4Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenue Antônio Carlos 6627 Campus of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Pré dio PCA1 Anexo Engenharia, Pampulha, CEP 31270-90, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilDipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della Produzione, Università di Pisa, Via Diotisalvi 2, Pisa 56126, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della Produzione, Università di Pisa, Via Diotisalvi 2, Pisa 56126, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della Produzione, Università di Pisa, Via Diotisalvi 2, Pisa 56126, ItalyN. A. Dollezhal Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (NIKIET), P.O. Box 788, Moscow 101000, RussiaOne of the transients that have received considerable attention in the safety evaluation of RBMK reactors is the partial break of a group distribution header (GDH). The coolant flow rate blockage in one GDH might lead to excessive heat-up of the pressure tubes and can result in multiple fuel channels (FC) ruptures. In this work, the GDH flow blockage transient has been studied considering the Smolensk-3 RBMK NPP (nuclear power plant). In the RBMK, each GDH distributes coolant to 40–43 FC. To investigate the behavior of each FC belonging to the damaged GDH and to have a more realistic trend, one (affected) GDH has been schematized with its forty-two FC, one by one. The calculations were performed using the 0-D NK (neutron kinetic) model of the RELAP5-3.3 stand-alone code. The results show that, during the event, the mass flow rate is disturbed differently according to the power distribution established for each FC in the schematization. The start time of the oscillations in mass flow rate depends strongly on the attributed power to each FC. It was also observed that, during the event, the fuel channels at higher thermal power values tend to undergo first cladding rupture leaving the reactor to scram and safeguarding all the other FCs connected to the affected GDH.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/87834 |
| spellingShingle | A. Lombardi Costa M. Cherubini F. D'Auria W. Giannotti A. Moskalev Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations |
| title | Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event |
| title_full | Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event |
| title_fullStr | Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event |
| title_short | Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Coolant Flow Decrease in Fuel Channels of Smolensk-3 RBMK during GDH Blockage Event |
| title_sort | thermal hydraulic analysis of coolant flow decrease in fuel channels of smolensk 3 rbmk during gdh blockage event |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/87834 |
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