Validation DualSPHysics Code for Liquid Sloshing Phenomena

Abstract

The DualSPHysics code is proposed as a numerical tool for the simulation of liquid sloshing phenomena. A particular type of sloshing motion can occur during the core meltdown of a liquid metal cooled reactor (LMR) and can lead to a compaction of the fuel in the center of the core possibly resulting in energetic nuclear power excursions. This phenomenon was studied in series of “centralized sloshing” experiments with a central water column collapsing inside the surrounding cylindrical tank. These experiments provide data for a benchmark exercise for accident analysis codes. To simulate “centralized sloshing” phenomena, a numerical method should be capable to predict the motion of the free surface of a liquid, wave propagation and reflection from the walls. The DualSPHysics code based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method was applied to the simulation of “centralized sloshing” experiments. Simulation results are compared with the experimental results. In a series of numerical calculations it is shown that overall motion of the liquid is in a good agreement with experimental observations. Dependence on the initial and geometrical symmetry is studied and compared with experimental data.