Experimental research on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of generation Ⅲ PWR under LOCA conditions

IF 3.2 3区工程技术 Q1 NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Progress in Nuclear Energy Pub Date : 2025-09-12 DOI:10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.106034

Liangguo Li , Qianhua Su , Zongbao Nan , Jianming Yu , Donghua Lu , Xianghui Lu , Yingwei Wu , Suizheng Qiu , Xin Wang , Jiyong Liu

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Abstract

China has developed the HPR1000, an advanced Generation III pressurized water reactor (PWR) that integrates active and passive safety systems to achieve enhanced nuclear power plant safety. Among all design basis accidents (DBAs), the loss of coolant accident (LOCA) represents the most severe challenge for the reactor safety analysis. To investigate LOCA characteristics, the HPR1000 integral test facility (HITE) was designed using the hierarchical two-tiered scaling (H2TS) methodology, accurately simulating the three-loop configuration of the reference reactor. The facility was employed to conduct a LOCA experiment with 4 % cold leg area. Then, the detailed analysis of the resultant system transients and key thermal-hydraulic phenomena were obtained based on the experimental and simulation results. Primary system pressure was effectively reduced during medium pressure rapid cooling (MPRC) operation through steam discharge via VDA under LOCA conditions. The MPRC system achieved a rapid cooldown rate of 500 °C/h and depressurization, enabling timely RIS activation. Both core fluid temperatures and fuel rod cladding temperatures decreased during the accident. The collapsed water level of RS is recovered until reaches the bottom of CL. The experimental results show that the system configuration and capacity is rational in coping with LOCA accident. The thermal stratification phenomenon is observed and discussed in the pipes of primary system. It is evident that the overall variation trend of the pressure obtained from the calculation is generally consistent with the experimental measurements. The findings are expected to improve the understanding of LOCA in HPR1000.

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LOCA工况下Ⅲ代压水堆热水力特性试验研究

中国开发了先进的第三代压水堆（PWR） HPR1000，它集成了主动和被动安全系统，以提高核电站的安全性。在所有设计基础事故（dba）中，冷却剂损失事故（LOCA）是对反应堆安全分析最严峻的挑战。为了研究LOCA特性，采用分层两层标度（H2TS）方法设计了HPR1000整体测试设施（HITE），准确模拟了参考反应器的三回路配置。利用该设备进行了4%冷腿面积的LOCA实验。然后，根据实验和仿真结果，详细分析了系统瞬态和关键热液现象。在LOCA条件下，通过VDA排汽，有效地降低了中压快速冷却（MPRC）运行时的一次系统压力。MPRC系统实现了500°C/h的快速冷却速率和降压，能够及时激活RIS。在事故中，堆芯流体温度和燃料棒包层温度都有所下降。RS的塌陷水位恢复到CL的底部。实验结果表明，该系统的配置和容量是合理的，可以有效地应对LOCA事故。对一次系统管道中的热分层现象进行了观察和讨论。很明显，计算得到的压力总体变化趋势与实验测量结果基本一致。这些发现有望提高对HPR1000中LOCA的理解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Progress in Nuclear Energy 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

14.80%

发文量

331

审稿时长

3.5 months

期刊介绍： Progress in Nuclear Energy is an international review journal covering all aspects of nuclear science and engineering. In keeping with the maturity of nuclear power, articles on safety, siting and environmental problems are encouraged, as are those associated with economics and fuel management. However, basic physics and engineering will remain an important aspect of the editorial policy. Articles published are either of a review nature or present new material in more depth. They are aimed at researchers and technically-oriented managers working in the nuclear energy field. Please note the following: 1) PNE seeks high quality research papers which are medium to long in length. Short research papers should be submitted to the journal Annals in Nuclear Energy. 2) PNE reserves the right to reject papers which are based solely on routine application of computer codes used to produce reactor designs or explain existing reactor phenomena. Such papers, although worthy, are best left as laboratory reports whereas Progress in Nuclear Energy seeks papers of originality, which are archival in nature, in the fields of mathematical and experimental nuclear technology, including fission, fusion (blanket physics, radiation damage), safety, materials aspects, economics, etc. 3) Review papers, which may occasionally be invited, are particularly sought by the journal in these fields.