Experimental and Calculated Studies of Condensation-Induced Water Hammer

Abstract

Experience gained from the operation of nuclear power plants shows that emergencies or incorrect actions of the personnel may give rise to water hammer phenomena, which exert additional impacts on the pipelines and equipment. Condensation-induced water hammer (CIWH) is one of the most destructive kinds of water hammer. Experimental studies of CIWH were carried out in a number of scientific organizations around the world. The main features of the experimental facilities used in the world are considered. For studying the CIWH phenomena occurring in a horizontal channel, a special experimental test facility was set up in 2018 at the Elektrogorsk Research and Engineering Center for Nuclear Power Plants’ Safety (EREC). The facility’s test section and the parameters of experimental regimes are described. Fifty-two experiments were carried out on the facility under different initial and boundary conditions for three values of the water flowrate supplied to the facility (1, 3, and 5 t/h), two values of water temperature (30 and 60°С), and two values of vapor pressure in the test section (0.6 and 1.0 MPa). In all experiments, CIWH phenomena were recorded. As an example, one experimental regime was considered in detail, and the CIWH occurrence mechanism is described proceeding from the readings of pressure and level gages and temperature sensors. The described experimental regime was modeled using the RELAP5 and WAHA thermal-hydraulic codes. The effect that the size of nodalization diagram cells and the integration time step have on the computation results is analyzed. The significant amount of experimental points obtained from the study can be used for setting up a database for validating computer codes.