Development of unstructured mesh-based numerical method for sodium-water reaction phenomenon in steam generators of sodium-cooled fast reactors

Uchibori, Akihiro ; Watanabe, Akira*; Takata, Takashi  ; Ohno, Shuji  ; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

For assessment of the wastage environment under tube failure accident in a steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactors, a mechanistic computer code called SERAPHIM calculating compressible multicomponent multiphase flow with sodium-water chemical reaction has been developed. The original SERAPHIM code is based on the finite difference method. In this study, unstructured mesh-based numerical method was developed and introduced into the SERAPHIM code to advance a numerical accuracy for the complex-shaped domain including multiple heat transfer tubes. Validity of the unstructured mesh-based SERAPHIM code was investigated through the analysis of an under expanded jet experiment. The calculated pressure profile showed good agreement with the experimental data. Numerical analysis of water vapor discharging into liquid sodium was also performed. It was demonstrated that the proposed numerical method could be applicable to evaluation of the sodium-water reaction phenomenon.