A brief review of the reflood closure package optimization efforts performed within TRAC 5.4.25R10

Abstract

This report summarizes the implementation of tools within Version 5.4.25R10 of the Transient Reactor Analysis Code (TRAC); this implementation allows the semiautomated optimization of the reflood constitutive package. The tools included a software package external to TRAC that used a line search method to minimize a generic function value given the function`s partial derivative vector with respect to a set of closure coefficients used within TRAC`s reflood model. Within TRAC, the generic function was a normalized penalty function dependent on time averaged calculated values of vapor temperature, vapor void fraction, wall to a fluid heat transfer rate (or wall temperature), and the respective steady state data. The penalty function was implemented only for a one dimensional vessel configuration because the available reflood data were taken primarily from postcritical heat flux tube experiments.