Scaling issues for the experimental characterization of reactor coolant system in integral test facilities and role of system code as extrapolation tool

Mascari, F.*; Nakamura, Hideo  ; Umminger, K.*; De Rosa, F.*; D'Auria, F.*

The phenomenological analyses and thermal hydraulic characterization of a nuclear reactor are the basis for its design and safety evaluation. Scaled down tests of Integral Effect Test (IET) and Separate Effect Test (SET) are feasible to develop database. Though several scaling methods such as Power/Volume, Three level scaling and H2TS have been developed and applied to the IET and SET design, direct extrapolation of the data to prototype is in general difficult due to unavoidable scaling distortions. Constraints in construction and funding for test facility demand that a scaling compromise is inevitable further. Scaling approaches such as preservation of time, pressure and power etc. have to be adopted in the facility design. This paper analyzes some IET scaling approaches, starting from a brief analysis of the main characteristics of IETs and SETFs. Scaling approaches and their constraints in ROSA-III, FIST and PIPER-ONE facility are used to analyze their impact to the experimental prediction in Small Break LOCA counterpart tests. The liquid level behavior in the core are discussed for facility scaling-up limits.