Qualification of TRACE V5.0 Code against Fast Cooldown Transient in the PKL-III Integral Test Facility

Abstract EN

The present paper deals with the analytical study of the PKL experiment G3.1 performed using the TRACE code (version 5.0 patch1).

The test G3.1 simulates a fast cooldown transient, namely, a main steam line break.

This leads to a strong asymmetry caused by an increase of the heat transfer from the primary to the secondary side that induces a fast cooldown transient on the primary side-affected loop.

The asymmetric overcooling effect requires an assessment of the reactor pressure vessel integrity considering PTS (pressurized thermal shock) and an assessment of potential recriticality following entrainment of colder water into the core area.

The aim of this work is the qualification of the heat transfer capabilities of the TRACE code from primary to secondary side in the intact and affected steam generators (SGs) during the rapid depressurization and the boiloff in the affected SG against experimental data.