Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents

The heat and mass transfer processes of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases are very important for the passive containment cooling system of water cooled reactors. Numerical simulation of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases was realized in the Fluent softw...

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Main Authors: Wen Fu, Li Zhang, Xiaowei Li, Xinxin Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/1673834
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author Wen Fu
Li Zhang
Xiaowei Li
Xinxin Wu
author_facet Wen Fu
Li Zhang
Xiaowei Li
Xinxin Wu
author_sort Wen Fu
collection DOAJ
description The heat and mass transfer processes of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases are very important for the passive containment cooling system of water cooled reactors. Numerical simulation of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases was realized in the Fluent software by adding condensation models. The scaled AP600 containment condensation experiment was simulated to verify the numerical method. It was shown that the developed method can predict natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases well. The velocity, species, and density fields in the scaled AP600 containment were presented. The heat transfer rate distribution and the influences of the mass fraction of air on heat transfer rate were also analyzed. It is found that the driving force of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases is mainly caused by the mass fraction difference but not temperature difference. The natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases in AP1000 containment was then simulated. The temperature, species, velocity, and heat flux distributions were obtained and analyzed. The upper head of the containment contributes to 35.1% of the total heat transfer rate, while its area only takes 25.4% of the total condensation area of the containment. The influences of the mass fraction of low molecular weight noncondensable gas (hydrogen) on the natural convective condensation were also discussed based on the detailed species, density, and velocity fields. The results show that addition of hydrogen (production of zirconium-water reaction after severe accident) will weaken the intensity of natural convection and the heat and mass transfer processes significantly. When hydrogen contributes to 50% mole fraction of the noncondensable gases, the heat transfer coefficient will be reduced to 45%.
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spelling doaj-art-cfdcab800f73488cb6ea1ba03b4696f72025-08-20T03:19:46ZengWileyScience and Technology of Nuclear Installations1687-60751687-60832019-01-01201910.1155/2019/16738341673834Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe AccidentsWen Fu0Li Zhang1Xiaowei Li2Xinxin Wu3Key Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaThe heat and mass transfer processes of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases are very important for the passive containment cooling system of water cooled reactors. Numerical simulation of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases was realized in the Fluent software by adding condensation models. The scaled AP600 containment condensation experiment was simulated to verify the numerical method. It was shown that the developed method can predict natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases well. The velocity, species, and density fields in the scaled AP600 containment were presented. The heat transfer rate distribution and the influences of the mass fraction of air on heat transfer rate were also analyzed. It is found that the driving force of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases is mainly caused by the mass fraction difference but not temperature difference. The natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases in AP1000 containment was then simulated. The temperature, species, velocity, and heat flux distributions were obtained and analyzed. The upper head of the containment contributes to 35.1% of the total heat transfer rate, while its area only takes 25.4% of the total condensation area of the containment. The influences of the mass fraction of low molecular weight noncondensable gas (hydrogen) on the natural convective condensation were also discussed based on the detailed species, density, and velocity fields. The results show that addition of hydrogen (production of zirconium-water reaction after severe accident) will weaken the intensity of natural convection and the heat and mass transfer processes significantly. When hydrogen contributes to 50% mole fraction of the noncondensable gases, the heat transfer coefficient will be reduced to 45%.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/1673834
spellingShingle Wen Fu
Li Zhang
Xiaowei Li
Xinxin Wu
Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
title Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
title_full Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
title_fullStr Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
title_full_unstemmed Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
title_short Numerical Investigation of Natural Convective Condensation with Noncondensable Gases in the Reactor Containment after Severe Accidents
title_sort numerical investigation of natural convective condensation with noncondensable gases in the reactor containment after severe accidents
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/1673834
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AT xiaoweili numericalinvestigationofnaturalconvectivecondensationwithnoncondensablegasesinthereactorcontainmentaftersevereaccidents
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