The influence of ocean conditions on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a passive residual heat removal system

Abstract

There are many differences between the flow and heat transfer characteristics of nuclear reactors under ocean and land-based conditions for the effects of ocean waves. In this paper, thermal hydraulic characteristics of a passive residual heat removal system (PRHRS) for an integrated pressurized water reactor (IPWR) in ocean environment were investigated theoretically. A series of reasonable theoretical models for a PRHRS in an IPWR were established. These models mainly include the core, once-through steam generator, nitrogen pressurizer, main coolant pump, flow and heat transfer and ocean motion models. The flow and heat transfer models are suitable for the core with plate-type fuel element and the once-through steam generator with annular channel, respectively. A transient analysis code in FORTRAN 90 format has been developed to analyze the thermal–hydraulic characteristics of the PRHRS under ocean conditions. The code was implemented to analyze the effects of different ocean motions on the transient thermal-hydraulic characteristics of PRHRS. It is found that the oscillating amplitudes and periods of the system parameters are determined by those of the ocean motions. The effect of rolling motion is more obvious than that of pitching motion when the amplitudes and periods of rolling and pitching motions are the same. The obtained analysis results are significant to the improvement design of the PRHRS and the safety operation of the IPWR.