Modelling thermal-hydraulic effects of zinc borate deposits in the PWR core after LOCA - Experimental strategies and test facilities


Modelling thermal-hydraulic effects of zinc borate deposits in the PWR core after LOCA - Experimental strategies and test facilities

Kästner, W.; Alt, S.; Seeliger, A.; Zacharaias, F.; Harm, U.; Illgen, R.; Hampel, U.; Kryk, H.

The German software tool ATHLET (Analysis of THermohydraulics of Leaks and Transients) is continuously being developed for the simulation of the nuclear power plant behaviour in the event of transients and accidents. The focus of a current joint research project named „ATHLET Modul Zinkborat“ (AZora) is the development and validation of an ATHLET module on the basis of the current state of research on chemical long-term effects according to PWR LOCA. The module is intended to simulate thermohydraulic effects of zinc borate precipitations in the reactor core originating from long-term corrosion processes in the reactor sump during sump recirculation operation after postulated loss-of-coolant accidents in PWR. To develop and validate the sub-models, generic experiments at lab-scale as well as at semi-technical scale are planned to be carried out in unique test facilities. The structure of the module as well as the experimental strategies and the related facilities are described in the article.

Keywords: loss-of-coolant accident; LOCA; pressurized water reactor; nuclear safety research; zinc borate; corrosion; simulation; chemical effects

  • atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power 65(2020)6/7, 341-345
    ISSN: 1431-5254

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Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-31310
Publ.-Id: 31310