Experiments of coolant accumulation in SG U tube and analytical model development

Yamaji, Tatsuya*; Koizumi, Yasuo; Yamazaki, Kohei*; Otake, Hiroyasu*; Hasegawa, Koji*; Onuki, Akira*; Kanamori, Daisuke*

Experiments of condensing counter-current two-phase flow in a vertical pipe were performed. This study was intended to examine water accumulation in the up-flow side of steam generator U-tubes of a PWR during the reflux cooling stage of a small break LOCA. It has been apprehended that the water accumulation may result in temporary core liquid level depression. The inner diameter and the length of a test flow channel used in the experiments were 18 mm and 4 m, respectively. The experiments were performed by using steam and water at 0.1 MPa. Two kinds of experiments were conducted; visualization experiments by using a transparent test section and quantitative water accumulation evaluation experiments by using a brass test section. Even if water on the inner surface of the test pipe could not flow downward at the lower portion of the test pipe, a part of water became to flow downward at the upper portion of the test pipe since steam velocity decreased because of condensation. Thus, two-phase mixture level was formed in the upper portion of the test pipe, which resulted in the water accumulation in the pipe. The model to predict the water accumulation was proposed. It predicted the water accumulation reasonably well.