Development of Experimental Facility to Study Channel Disassembly Behaviour for Indian PHW Reactor During Heatup

Abstract

No experimental investigation has been carried out to understand the progression of channel disassembly in IPHWR. Hence, it is planned to study the deformations aspects through experiments with a scaled-down (1:3) fuel channel of 220MWe reactor. Depending upon the pressure inside the channel and transient past, the accident initiation and disassembly can be can be classified into two class. In the first case, high pressure inside channel leads PT ballooned and fully contacted CT before channel deformed as one composite unit. While in second case, low inside pressure, first leads PT to contact CT and then coupled deformation of the channel progresses. Latter is part of our current experimental investigation. This paper is focused on discussion about various aspects considered while developing the experimental facility. In this case, experiments are grouped under two broad categories, one is the study under inert environment to check channel deformation due to material flow at higher temperature and other one is under oxidation environment, which would be similar to actual condition exist in normal reactor core under accident scenario. Initially experiments will be carried out on single channels, later it will be extended up to three channels arranged one above other. A simulation study is also carried out to check the deformation profile under inert conditions. Simulation is done using coupled field element technology of commercial software ANSYS v17.2, to get a preliminary insight into structural and thermal coupled response on channel deformation.