Simulation of protected and unprotected loss of flow transients in a WWER-1000 reactor based on the Drift-Flux Model

Abstract

In view of the importance of studying coolant transient behavior in a nuclear reactor, this work is devoted to the thermal-hydraulic analysis of protected and unprotected loss of flow transients in a WWER-1000 reactor. A series of corresponding mathematical and physical models based on the four-equation Drift-Flux model has been applied. Based on a multi-channel approach, the core has been divided into different regions. Each region has different characteristics as represented in a single fuel pin with its associated coolant channel. Appropriate initial and boundary conditions have been considered and two situations of tripping four and two primary pumps in a protected core in addition to situation of tripping all four pumps in an unprotected core have been analyzed. For each transient, a full range of thermal-hydraulic parameters has been obtained. For verification of the proposed model, the results have been compared with those of the RELAP5/MOD3 and Bushehr nuclear power plant Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). A good agreement between results has been attained for the aforementioned transients.