One dimensional modelling of flow in a helium loop

Abstract

The natural circulation helium loop is a facility designed for decay heat removal from ALLEGRO fast nuclear reactors. The article deals with the observation of pressure and velocity relations during steady flow of helium. A one-dimensional numerical model of flow capable of determining the velocity with sufficient accuracy is presented in the article. The model describes the flow of highly compressed gaseous medium with variable density in direct pipelines with local resistances. It’s a hydraulic model, which means that the temperature distribution along the loop must be known. The article also includes the evaluation of local resistances in DHR and GFR, which significantly affects the resulting accuracy. The results from numerical model are compared with experiments.