Abstract
The accurate prediction of critical heat flux (CHF) is essential in the operation of commercial nuclear power reactors. Rapid temperature excursions caused by CHF result in cladding and fuel failure and therefore must be avoided throughout operation. CHF has been modeled and investigated for steady-state nuclear reactor conditions for decades, but in the case of an accident, the pressure in the reactor is reduced through blowdown. The modelling of CHF under low pressure, low flow conditions is needed to ensure the reactor safety and fuel integrity. The current study analyzes the effect of pressure, flow rate, and subcooling on the critical heat flux in a square vertical channel. Multiple well-known correlations consistently overestimate the CHF and the effect of flow rate and pressure on the occurrence of temperature excursions due to CHF. The modelling of CHF under low flow, low pressure conditions is essential to ensuring the safe operation of nuclear reactors in the post-accident scenario.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 2017 |
| Event | 17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2017 - Xi'an, Shaanxi, China Duration: Sep 3 2017 → Sep 8 2017 |
Other
| Other | 17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NURETH 2017 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | China |
| City | Xi'an, Shaanxi |
| Period | 9/3/17 → 9/8/17 |
Keywords
- Boiling
- Critical heat flux
- Departure from nucleate boiling
- Subcooled boiling
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
- Instrumentation