Numerical analysis of thermal stratification phenomena in upper plenum of a fast breeder reactor,1; Evaluation of thermal stratification phenomena near the region of flow holes

Suda, Kazunori ; Muramatsu, Toshiharu; Yamaguchi, Akira

Thermal stratification phenomena are observed in an upper plenum of liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) under reactor scram conditions, which give rise to thermal stress on structural components. Therefore it is important to evaluate characteristics of the phenomena in the design of the internal structures in an LMFBR plenum. To evaluate long-term characteristics of thermal stratification phenomena in a typical LMFBR upper plenum, numerical analysis was carried out with a multi-dimensional thermohydraulics code AQUA for a scram event from full power operation condition. Thereafter the numerical results were compared with extrapolated results of measured transient data on the 40% operation condition. From the thermohydraulic analysis by the AQUA code, the following results have been obtained. [Long-term characteristics of thermal stratification phenomena] (1)The cold fluid region near the inside inner barrel was expanded with accumulation of the cold fluid in the lower region of the plenum after 300 seconds from the reactor scram, so that the fluid from core flowed to the lower region of the upper plenum. The characteristics of axial temperature distributions in the upper plenum were similar to them at the 300 seconds. (2)The thermal stratification interface was located initially around intermediate position between upper and lower flow holes. And an another thermal stratification interface was formed around the inner barrel support plate after 300 seconds from the scram, so that the cold fluid accumulated in the lower region of the plenum. But the thermal stratification interface around the inner barrel support plate was disappeared by mixture and heat conduction of coolant of circumferential direction. The thermal stratification interface which was located below in the upper flow holes, rose to the upward position of the upper flow holes at the 720 seconds. (3)In annular gap region between the inner barrel and the reactor vessel wall, thermal ...