Multiphase Flow Phenomena of Steam Generator Tube Rupture in a Lead-Cooled Reactor System: A Scoping Analysis

摘要

The paper is concerned with understanding and quantification of intense multiphase interactions in a Steam Generator Tube Rupture (SGTR) scenario in advanced lead-cooled reactor systems. The scoping approach taken in this paper is to focus on key flow physics that complements other ongoing detailed computational and experimental efforts on SGTG analysis. The present study suggests that (i) the initial pressure shock wave poses no credible threat to in-vessel structures, except for limited pressure loading on very few adjacent heat-exchange tubes; (ii) the sloshing-related fluid motion is well bounded in a domain beyond the heat exchanger; (iii) the pre-mixture is not pre-conditioned for triggering and a postulated steam explosion would have limited energetics; and (iv) an initial discharge of steam/water mass is amenable for entrapment in the primary coolant flow. Implications for further research are discussed in the paper.