PWR Cold-Leg Small-Break LOCA with Total HPI Failure. Effect of Break Area on Core Dryout and Intentional Depressurization for Prevention of Excess Core Dryout.

Abstract

Cold-leg small-break loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) tests were performed at the ROSA-IV Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF), a 1/48 volumetrically-scaled model of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The tests were conducted for break areas ranging 0.5–10% of the scaled cold leg area, and simulated hypothetical total failure of the high pressure injection (HPI) system. One of the tests, conducted with 1% break area, included an intentional depressurization of the primary system that was initiated after the onset of core dryout. A simple prediction model is proposed for prediction of times of major events, namely, loop seal clearing, core dryout, accumulator (ACC) injection and actuation of low pressure injection (LPI) system. Test data and model calculations show that intentional primary system depressurization with use of the pressurizer power-operated relief valves (PORVs) is effective for break areas of approximately 0.5% or less, is unnecessary for breaks of approximately 5% or more, and might be insuffic...