Columbia University flow instability experimental program: Volume 3. Single tube parallel flow tests

Abstract

The coolant in the Savannah River Site (SRS) production nuclear reactor assemblies is circulated as a subcooled liquid under normal operating conditions. This coolant is evenly distributed throughout multiple annular flow channels with a uniform pressure profile across each coolant flow channel. During the postulated Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA), which is initiated by a hypothetical guillotine pipe break, the coolant flow through the reactor assemblies is significantly reduced. The flow reduction and accompanying power reduction (after shutdown is initiated) occur in the first 1--2 seconds of the LOCA. This portion of the LOCA is referred to as the Flow Instability phase. A series of down flow experiments have been conducted on three different size single tubes. The objective of these experiments was to determine the effect of a parallel flow path on the occurrence of flow instability. In all cases, it has been shown that the point of flow instability (OFI) determined under controlled flow operation does not change when operating in a controlled pressure drop mode (parallel path operation).