GSI-191

Short Summary:

The thermal-hydraulic team has actively contributed to the Generic Safety Issue (GSI) 191 resolution project, developing computational and experimental capabilities and supporting the nuclear power industry with thermal-hydraulic analyses of different aspects of the issue.

Abstract:

The thermal-hydraulic laboratory has contributed to research in nuclear energy with several projects sponsored by the Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

The majority of these projects produced experimental data used for computer code validation, contributing to a higher knowledge of the thermal-hydraulic phenomena involved in future reactors (Generation IV Nuclear Reactors).

According the the NEUP Website, “The U.S. Department of Energy”s Office of Nuclear Energy created Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP) in 2009 to consolidate its university support under one program. NEUP funds nuclear energy research and equipment upgrades at U.S. colleges and universities, and provides student educational support. NEUP plays a key role in helping the Department of Energy accomplish its mission of leading the nation”s investment in the development and exploration of advanced nuclear science and technology” (NEUP).  

The US Department of Energy”s (DOE) Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program was developed to enhance the value of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy”s research and development portfolio through the use of advanced computational methods.

Researchers and scientists in NEAMS are developing new tools to predict the performance, reliability, and economics of advanced nuclear power plants. The new computational tools will allow researchers to explore in ways never before practical, at the level of detail dictated by the governing phenomena, all the way from important changes in the materials of a nuclear fuel pellet to the full-scale operation of a complete nuclear power plant.

The Thermal-Hydraulics Laboratory at Texas A&M is currently supporting this program by generating experimental data that can be used to validate corresponding simulation results. 

1. Design and construction of non-deformed test bundle and flow loop
2. Test bundle QA inspection: As built geometry documentation
3. Facility Shakedown

Future Work:  

• Conduct MIR tests (non-deformed bundle)
• • Near-wall and internal sub-channels velocity measurements
  • Axial and azimuthal pressure drops
• Design, construct and operate the deformed bundle

   Challenges:  

• Tests at high flow rates
• • Minimize stress to the pins and wires
• Optimize (Minimize) test time with p-cymene
• • Temperature rise and MIR effect
  • Effect on pin-to-wire connections
• Deformed bundle – construction techniques

The emergency core cooling system (ECCS) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) is designed to provide the required coolant flow to removes the decay heat from the reactor core during a postulated loss of coolant accident (LOCA) scenario, bringing the system to the cold shutdown condition.

A set of screens are typically installed in the reactor containment to protect the ECCS components from possible damage induced by the LOCA-generated debris, created during the accident and transported through the containment floor into the sump by the water flow. 

The Generic Safety Issue (GSI) 191 addresses the concerns associated with the generation of the debris during a LOCA in light water reactors (LWR), its transport in the containment from the generation site to the sumps trainers, and the potential effects that such debris cause to the safety injection performances (in particular to the injection pumps) and to the core cooling capabilities that may be altered by the amount of debris that may bypass the sump strainers.

The thermal-hydraulic team has actively contributed to the GSI-191 resolution project, developing computational and experimental capabilities and supporting the nuclear power industry with thermal-hydraulic analyses of different aspects of the issue.

(Photo Source: www.pcisg.com)

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Associated Publication(s):

1. S. Lee, M. Kappes, Y. A. Hassan Compression of Fibrous Porous Media Generated on Containment Sump Strainers American Nuclear Society 2014 Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, November 9-13 2014, Anaheim, CA. 2014-11-09

2. M.Kappes, S. Lee, Y. A. Hassan Size Characterization of Fibrous Nukon Debris Upstream and Downstream of the Containment Sump Strainers American Nuclear Society 2014 Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, November 9-13 2014, Anaheim, CA. 2014-11-09

3. S. Lee, S. S. Abdulsattar, Y. A. Hassan Head Loss through Fibrous Beds Generated on Different Types of Containment Sump Strainers Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, ICONE22 July 7-11, 2014, Prague, Czech Republic. 2014-07-07

4. S. Lee, Y. A. Hassan, R. Vaghetto, S. S. Abdulsattar, M. Kappes Water Chemistry Sensitivity on Fibrous Debris Bypass through a Containment Sump Strainer Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, ICONE22 July 7-11, 2014, Prague, Czech Republic. 2014-07-07

5. S. Lee, R. Vaghetto, S. S. Abdulsattar, M. Kappes, Y. A. Hassan Effects of pH and Electrical Conductivity on the Quantity of Fibrous Debris Bypass through a Containment Sumpt Strainer 2014 ANS Annual Meeting, June 15-19 2014, Reno, Nevada. 2014-06-15

6. S. S. Abdulsattar, S. Lee, Y. A. Hassan Experimental Study of Pressure Drop through a Fibrous Debris Bed Generated on A perforated Plate with Embedded Mesh Screen 2014 ANS Annual Meeting, June 15-19 2014, Reno, Nevada. 2014-06-15

7. S. Lee, R. Vaghetto, Y. A. Hassan Measurement of Water Chemistry Sensitivity on NUKON Fibrous Debris Penetration through a Sump Strainer Risk Management for Complex Socio-Technical Systems (RM4CSS), November 11-15, 2013, Washington, D.C. 2013-11-11

8. S. Lee, L. M. Brockmeyer, S. A. B. Sulaiman, Y. A. Hassan Temperature Effect on Small Size NUKON Fibrous Debris Settling Velocity Risk Management for Complex Socio-Technical Systems (RM4CSS), November 11-15, 2013, Washington, D.C. 2013-11-11

9. S. Lee, S. S. Abdulsattar, R. Vaghetto, Y. A. Hassan Experimental Study of Fibrous Debris Head Loss through Sump Strainer Advances in Thermal Hydraulics (ATH ’12), November 11-15 2012, San Diego, CA. 2012-11-11

10. B. Beeny, R. Vaghetto, K. Vierow, Y. A. Hassan MELCOR and GOTHIC Analyses of a Large Dry Pressurized Water Reactor Containment to Support Resolution of GSI-191 Proceedings of the 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-16) NURETH15-13354. 2015-08-30

11. B. Beeny, R. Vaghetto, K. Vierow, Y. A. Hassan A Sensitivity Study Supporting Comparative Analysis of MELCOR and GOTHIC Large Dry Pressurized Water Reactor Containment Models Proceedings of the 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-16) NURETH15-13356. 2015-08-30

12. S. Lee, R. Vaghetto, J. Lim, M. Kappes, Y. A. Hassan The Effect of Electric Potential on Fibrous Debris Bypass through a Containment Sump Strainer Proceedings of the 16th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-16) NURETH15-13760 2015-08-30