Analysis and Solution to Abnormity of DNBR Indicated by ICIS of a WWER Unit

Abstract

To analyze the reason of difference between the departure from nucleate boling ratio (DNBR) indicated by the upper-level software and lower-level software of the in-core instrumentation system (ICIS) at a certain water-cooled water-moderated power reactor (WWER) unit under its first thermal test during raising power, an investigation was made on the critical heat flux (CHF) correlations adopted in the reactor thermal and hydraulic design and accident analysis of WWER unit. On the above basis, the reason behind the difference was found to be the use of different CHF correlations by the upper-level software and the lower-level software of ICIS through the simulation of thermal tests under 50%, 75% and 90% power level using WWER accident analysis code DINAMIKA-97, calculation of DNBRs and comparison with the ones measured in thermal-hydraulic tests. DNBR under 100% power level was predicted, which coincided with the measured DNBR very well and proved the correctness of the guess further. It is suggested that the CHF correlations adopted by the upper-level software and the lower-level software shall be modified to the same conservative CHF correlation to get a conservative DNBR.