AEROSOL TRAPPING IN STEAM GENERATOR (ARTIST): AN INVESTIGATION OF AEROSOL AND IODINE BEHAVIOUR IN THE SECONDARY SIDE OF A STEAM GENERATOR

摘要

Sequences such as a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) with stuck-open relief valve represent a significant public risk by virtue of the open path for release of radioactivity. The release may be lessened by deposition of fission products on the steam generator (SG) tubes and other structures or by scrubbing in the secondary coolant. The absence of empirical data, the complexity of the geometry and controlling processes, however, make the retention difficult to quantify and credit for it is typically not taken in risk assessments. The ARTIST experimental programme to be conducted at Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland, will simulate the flow and retention of aerosol-borne fission products in the SG secondary, and thus provide a unique database to support safety assessments and analytical models. Scaling of the break flow presents a particular challenge since the aerosol retention process operate at contrasting length scales. Preliminary calculations have identified a baseline set of conditions and demonstrated the feasibility of the rig design and scaling principles. Flexibility of the rig enables simulation of a range of SG designs, accident situations and accident management measures.