Modelling of complex boron dilution transients in PWRs—Validation of CFD simulation with ANSYS CFX against the ROCOM E2.3 experiment

This part of a series of two papers compares CFD simulation results of a boron dilution scenario with experimental results. The simulation was carried out with ANSYS CFX using the SST turbulence scheme, experimental data were produced in the ROCOM test facility, experiment E2.3. The main features of the scenario are asymmetric, transient mass flow conditions in the affected loops 1 and 2 of a KONVOI-type reactor vessel and reduced density of the underborated coolant slugs fed into the reactor trough the cold legs of both loops. The CFD simulation was able to capture the density stratification in the loops affected by underboration and the mixing in the downcomer and in the lower plenum. Good agreement with the experiment was obtained for the temporal evolution of average boron concentration in several measuring sections of the reactor vessel and of the boron distribution in the core inlet. In general, minimal values of boron concentration were found to be lower in the simulation than in the experiment.