Analysis ofNatural Convection in IPWR Type

SMR Test Facility

Abdul Wahab*'
Dr. Imran Rafiq Chughtai' Muhammad Sarfraz2

Dr. Alam Nawaz Khan Wardag' M.Arslan Jameel2

Ipakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences
2University of the Punjab, lahore Lahore,Pakistan
Islamabad,Pakistan.
*abdulwahab2k8@gmail.com

Abstract- In advanced and conventional reactors natural

energy production. Pakistan has nuclear power plants which are
circulation plays an important role in cooling of core. This
installed with the coordination of china and has obtained more
dissertation is based on modeling of a test facility using
than 33 year of operation experience. Therefore, Pakistan has
RELAP5IMOD 4.0. Test facility (TF) comprises of heating core,
riser, helical coil heat exchanger, and shell and tube heat
ability to design its own small and medium scale indigenous
exchanger and down corner these components are joined with nuclear power plant [1].
associate piping and fittings. In the TF, heating core is cooled by
A. Scope ofInnovative Small Modular Reactors
natural circulation. In this thesis, analysis of natural circulation
depends on geometry and operational parameters. The primary
objective of this thesis is to investigate the effects of riser height, For any country development requires stretchable
riser diameter, Source and sink distance, power and secondary power generation which has broader range of users. The
side mass flow rate on primary loop mass flow rate, which is USSR's obninsk nuclear power plant produce around 5MWe.
established due to natural convection. Natural circulation loop of
In the globe there are around or above 435 commercial nuclear
TF modeled with the aid ofRELAP5IMOD 4.0 thermal hydraulic
power plants (NPP's) operable in 31 countries with more than
system code. Riser length=78 inch, Pressure= IBar, Pitch to
375000MW total electric power and about more than 70
diameter = 1.4, SS Flow rate = 0.45kg/s, A = -5 inch, Riser
reactors are under construction phase. In 1990's, reactors are
Diameter = 6 inch and power 37.0kw. Primary loop mass flow rate
is 0.17kg/s (612kg/hr), analytical solution mass flow rate is classified in three categories. Reactor having output power less
0.18kg/s, average error is 12.8% in computational solution. This than 300MWe are include in small sized. Reactor having output
error reduces as power increases with constant intervals. The power 300 to 700MWe are includes in medium size reactors
RELAP5IMOD 4.0 results give good agreement with analytical and output power greater than 700MWe are large scale reactor.
solution. Now updated definition of SMR's are reactor having power less
Index Terms- Analytical tool, Satisfactory results, SMR, than 300MWe are include in SMR tecbnology. These types of
iPWR, Thermal hydraulic Steady State Analysis, Simulation.
reactors are mostly under construction [2].
The University of Chicago published a white paper on
I. INTRODUCTION comparison between large scale reactors and small modular
In Pakistan, there is an enormous increase in reactor after deep evaluation of different aspect such as reactor
requirement of energy due to population growth in comparison engineering design, safety features, economics, licensing,
to enhancement of production of energy. Production of energy govemment incentives and future research declared that SMR's
is less than actual demand, result crisis has emerged. An energy are future of nuclear power generation [3].
disaster can be explained as any great block in supply of energy In world 13 countries are working in SMR's and 49
assets to an economy. countries proposed its conceptual design, few countries are in
Pakistan's infrastructure related to energy is not fully under development stage and several countries are in licensing
developed, rather it is measured to be underdeveloped. Recently stage like Korea (SMART), Argentina (CAREM) etc. Three
country is facing crisis of energy. Inspite of rising energy designs are in operation like CNP-300 (china), EGP-6 (Russia),
demand and strong economic growth during past decade, no Indian 220 MWe PHWR [2].
serious work has been done to install new capacity power
plants. Moreover, rapid demand of energy, increase in H. RELATED WORK

transmission losses due to outdated set-up, power theft, and

seasonal reductions in the availability of hydropower have
Test facility fabricated in Pakistan which thermal
worsened the situation. As a result, energy demand exceeds the
hydraulic study is performed by me on RELAP5 Mode 4. Odk.I
production and hence load-shedding is a common scenario
sorted out research papers related to my work, through which I
through power shutdown.
got idea about how to work on RELAP5 Mode 4.0dk the
A vital component in Pakistan's economic progress is
important thing in my project is natural convection through
the development of Pakistan's nuclear power supply.
which fluid flows in a close loop. Same work was done by many
Historically, our energy production resources have mostly
people in different countries. If I compare my geometry with
depended on fumace oil. Nuclear power has played little role in
that of previous work, there is a difference. This work first time

978-1-4673-9073-6/17/$31.00 2017 IEEE

Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST) 475
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017
started in Pakistan at PIEAS. We will lead this work to make
our own integrated pressurized water reactor.
In integrated Pressurized water reactor three phenomena
has been important to build this type of reactors. Phenomena's
are given below.
./ Natural Circulation (NC)
./ Self-Pressurization (SP)
./ Core Neutronic (CN)
./ Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM)
I am studying natural circulation (NC). Test facility
input file was created according to design parameters and run
in RELAP5, study operational and geometrical parameter effect
on natural circulation flow. Validate it with analytical solution,
present in literature. Studies related to my work that has already
been done by different authors are given below.
V.Borisenko, I.Kadenko allied with Taras Shevchenko
National University of kyiv presented research paper on
analysis of natural circulation standard problem for Kozloduy
NNP unit 6 (VVER-1000/320 reactor type),
investigate natural circulation in Kozloduy NNP unit 6, and
concluded how natural circulation worked to protect NNP unit
6 from disaster . NNP unit 6 whole setup model on RELAP5 its
result compare with experimental results good agreement
shown .VVER 1000 RELAP5 model include reactor coolant
system which consists of VVER 1000 internals
circulation pipelines, main coolant pump, steam generator and
pressurizer system [4].
P.K.Vijayan and A.K.Nayak presented research paper
at international plate forum on stability analysis of natural
circulation based system pressure tube type BWR and steam
generators reactor engineering division Bhabha atomic center,
Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India. In this research paper, they
presented effect of geometry and operational parameters on
instability of natural circulation; briefly described what issues
are faced in NC start up. As weil as analysis static, dynamic and
compound dynamic instability of NC [5].
On natural circulation, work has been done in which one
of them is instability analysis of natural convection this analysis
has been done on RELAP5 thermal hydraulic system code.
Parameters used in RELAP5 system code are nuclear reactor.
Main objective of this study is to identify stability boundary in
the dimensionless "zuber- sub-cooling "plane and to compare
with results already given in literature.RELAP5
hydraulic code is validate by experimental results. [6]
Prof.lng.Mario studied natural circulation. According to
his point of view, natural circulation is a complex phenomenon.
NC highly depends on loop geometry and
parameters. Rectangular loop contains fluid which is always in
single phase. Experiments were performed on different size
loops. In this study, he changed one parameter at a time, (such
as power, heat sink temperature and loop inclination). Water
was used as working fluid. After experiments, he observed that
natural circulation is sensitive. Mass flow rate oscillate if any
parameter change. After all data collection he observe a pattern
in collected data and he started to think that large loop present
dynamic behavior and mini loop showed steady state condition
at regime. Its observation presented modified
correlation which incorporated loop inclination parameters. He
defined ranges of parameters on which natural circulation was
Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST)
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017
stable. A one dimensional linear stability analysis was
performed following vijayan's model; stability maps for three
loops were obtained applying nyquist criterion.[7]
lY Wang, T.y'Chuang, Y.M.Ferng worked on heat
transfer in natural circulation. People knew about nuclear power
plants very weil, nuclear power plant operated normally at
steady state, its safety is not an issue. When reactor shuts down
for refueling or shuts down due to station black-out this thing
cause problem, if decay heat is not removed, which is about 8%
of full power. Passive safety system for reactor safety operated
at natural convection. These three people studied this problem.
They didn't perform experiment on it they studied it using
computational tools (Computational fluid dynamics) they
investigate about heat transfer in natural circulation. Built
geometry on tool, investigate about flow and heat transfer
behaviors in loop. Results they obtained from CFD analysis
compared with experiment showed good agreement. [8]
Amit mangal, Vikas Jain, A.K. Nayak studied capability
of RELAP5 code, whether it simulated natural circulation or
this paper not. All nuclear reactors has passive safety system which
operates at natural circulation. The objective of this research is
to enhance natural circulation for maximum safety of reactor
and prevent any severe accident which leads to release of the
radioactivity in atmosphere. Main advantage of natural
circulation is to eliminate the pump which consumes large
,main power. Not only relap5 simulate the natural circulation, TRAC
and CATHARE also simulate the natural circulation efficiently.
They simulate natural circulation on RELP5 code. In natural
circulation driving phenomena is different from others.
RELAP5 has some of the key phenomena which are tough to
model. If natural circulation flow rate is low it is able to model
in RELAP5 as flow increase velocity increase turbulence create
than this flow become multi-dimensional in nature.in this paper,
researchers search about flow instability, critical heat flux, flow
stratification, thermal stratification, non-condensable gases .
Two fluid model are used in RELAP5 better model natural
circulation but two fluid models is the effect of ill-posedness
which may cause numerical instability. [9]
III. PLANT DESIGN COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTTON
The Heat Exchanger is placed at certain head, which
provides natural circulation based solely on the density
thermal
variations in the coolant, as it gets hotter in the core and cooler
in the heat exchanger. Further, the flows of the primary and
secondary systems circulate in a counter-current mode. The
secondary fluid circulates upward within the tubes. It flows into
operational
the tubes as liquid-water and it reaches the exit as a heated
water. The mode of core heat removal is through natural
circulation without coolant pump.
Core heating power is controlled by electricity supply
System. Pressure is maintained at latrn, but hydrostatic
pressure is changed from bottom to top, so that boiling
boundary value also varies. Coolant extracts heat from core,
transfers into helical coil heat exchanger where secondary
coolant flows with constant flow rate inside the tube at the
downstream of heat exchanger. Flow meter is installed through
vijayan's
which flow is controlled passing through helical coil heat
exchanger. One more important think in this is riser in which
476
hot coolant flow after heating up, this riser height provided and take initial and fmal conditions of parameters (i.e.
force convention through which flow rate of prirnary coolant temperature, pressure) as a reference boundary condition.
enhance. Prirnary coolant flow is not purely natural convection
it is mix convection (natural + force). TABLE I' list of parameters
In this paper, I am studied thermal hydraulic without Parameters Values
CRDM and core occupy constant heat source of 37Kw.
Power of a Heating Rod 1.5KW
System also include riser effect and system pressure is latm.
Diameter of heating rod 10mm

Length of Heating Rod 500 mm

Number of Heating Rods 25

Pitch-to-Diameter Ratio (P/Dr)* 1.4

Rods Configuration Triangular

Diameter of Core Pipe (De) 6 inch (Sch. 40)

Material of Construction SS

Riser Angle (e) 90 (tlat)

Diameter of Riser Pipe (D,) 6inch

Height of Riser (H,) 2000mm

Heat exchanger Type Helical Coil/Shell and Tube

Nominal Diameter of Tube (d,) % inch

Tube Pitch (P,) 40 mm

Diameter ofCoil (Dde) 15 inch

Height ofCoil (Hile) 1500 mm

Clearance between coil tube outer surface O.4inch

and annular region walls

Inlet tlow rate of water inside tube 1.19m1s

Fig 1: Schematics of natural convection phenomenon in an integral PWR type

SMR (preliminary design).

IV. METHODOLOGY
VI. NODALIZAnON DIAGRAM

Firstly, collect all plant related design and operational The Fig. l shows the geometric representation of thermal

information. Then using this design and operational hydraulic systems. The hydraulic network is represented by a

information make RELAPS input file. After that, execute this series of interconnected nodes to form a node-link diagram. The

input file in RELAPS software. Output file generated by mass and energy equations are averaged over the volume.

software will analysis in MATLAB, extract data from output Hence, they do not capture any detail within the volume.

file into excel file than excel file import in origin software date Knowing the mass and energy of a volume, the equation of state

plot and depict/analysis parameters effect on natural gives the pressure. Flow, however, is driven by pressure

circulation. differences. Hence it naturally follows that the momentum

equation should be applied between the points of known

V. PREPARING INPUT FILE DECK pressure, i.e., between volumes. In the distributed approach,
this is called the staggered grid method. In the lumped
approach, it is called the node-link method and is illustrated in
We utilize an Engineering hand book to maintain the
fig 1Volumes are represented by nodes, flow paths are
database of the plant and it also represent a transitional step
represented by links
between the data and input data deck. For the development of
input data, we seek help from code's user manuals and database
of the plant. We obtain necessary data from the plant database

Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST) 477
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017
 VII. RESUL TS AND DlSCUSSlON

Fig. 3 shows mass flow at steady state at different

powers. Mass flow rate is O.17kg/s at 37.0kw. We compared
steady state results with analytical solution given by Scarlat
have derived the following expression from the mass,
momentum and energy conservation equations for natural
circulation mass flow rate, based on fluid average thermos
physical properties and loop geometry.

Where;
Ll= length ofRS (m)
L2 =Length from chimney discharge toRX discharge (m)
A=Reference f10w area (m2)
Qnuc=Nuclear heat (w)
K=loss coefficient
L=Distance between Source and Sink discharge (m)

TABLE 2: list of component used in input file

Component Component No Component Type

Water Reservoir 022,032,027 TMPDVOL

Tube Side 029,034,024 PIPE

023,033,028 TMDJUN

025,035, 030 SNGL JUN

Sink 026,036,031 TMDPYOL

Heater 003 PIPE

Riser 005 PIPE

004,006 SNGL JUN Fig 3: Mass Flow Rate against Power

Relief Valve 007 TRIP YALYE

In fig. 4 inlet temperature profile shows straight
Pressurizer 008 TMDP YOL
line, but outlet temperature profile shows curve its mean in
Lower Plenum 001 PIPE natural circulation at higher power outlet. Temperature shows
002,021 SNGL JUN nonlinearity behavior. Maximum outlet and inlet temperature

Shell Side 013,016,015 PIPE

89.36 oe and 40.324e at power 37kw.

012 SNGL JUN

Down Corner 018 PIPE

019 SNGL JUN

Branches 014,017 Branches

Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST) 478
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017
 0.25 I
E 90
I - I n let Temperature oe I -- 111inch
c:
0 I - Outlet Temperature oe I V'"' 100inch
/
--
t5
Q)
Cf) 80
Cl V
----

Cl
0.20 IL
\ 90inch
.>.t!.

c:
70 / '-'
Q)
-

V
Q)
I C1l 0.15
..... 0::
0 60 ./


.3 V 0

50 / Li:
0.10

Q) I/)
a. I/)
E cu
Q) 40 / --- ::2:
t- ...--
]1
"5 30

--I---
0.05
0
"0 -
c:
co
20
Q) o 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 0.00
C
Power (kw) 0 500 1000 1500 2000

Time (s)
Fig 4: Inlet and Outlet Temperature at Steady State Fig 6: PL Mass Flow Rate at Different Riser Height

Fig. 5 Shows PL mass flow rate at different SS mass In fig. 7 Shows source and sink have dominant
flow rate with respect to time maximum mass flow rate is effect on PL mass flow rate. Maximum flow rate is
0.17kg/s at 0.45 kg/s SS flow rate. SS mass flow rate has 0.17kg/s at 762mm.
inverse effect on PL mass flow rate.
--254mm
--508mm
I
-O.45kg/s 0.30 --762mm
0.25 1 kg/s f--

......
.!(!
Cl
f\ -2kg/s
- 3kg/s ......
.!Q
Cl
0.25

0.20 1 \-
1\

Q)
I
Q)
... 0.20 'eil
......
C1l
0:::
0::: 0.15

0
0
Li:
u:: I/) 0.10
I/) I/)
I/) C1l
C1l
0.15
:2: 0.05

0.00

0.10 o 500 1000 1500 2000

o 500 1000 1500 2000 Time (5)
Time (s)
Fig 5: PL Mass Flow Rate at Different SS Mass Flow Rate. Fig 7: PL Mass Flow Rate at Different Distance between Source and Sink.

In Fig. 6 shows effect of Riser height on primary loop In fig. 8 shows that as diameter of riser increases
mass flow rate.maximum flow rate is 0.17kg/s at 111inch riser oscillation in PL mass flow rate decreases. Maximum
height. PL flow rate decreases as riser height decreases. oscillation in PL mass flow rate is in 3inch diameter chimney.

Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST) 479
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017
 0.35

0.30
-- 3inch
-- 4inch
0.25 r--
-!!!
\
-- 5inch
Cl
6 -- 6inch

2 0.20
ca
0::: .. ./L
:;=
0
Li:
0.15
V
1\
V V
11\/v
V

(J)
(J)
ca 0.10

0.05

0.00
0 500 1000 1500 2000

Time (s)

Fig 8: PL Mass Flow Rate at Different Riser Diameters

VIII. CONCLUSION

Following are the conclusion drawn from results and

discussion:
The increased power has increased mass flow to a certain limit
of power, after that de-stability occur due to sub cool boiling.
Secondary side mass flow has inverse effect on primary loop
mass flow due to extra cooling of inlet fluid. Primary loop mass
flow rates have smaller amplitude oscillations, if the riser length
and diameter increases. This is because a larger riser diameter
and length enhances the maximum circulation flow rate and
thus reduces the channel void fraction and two-phase frictional
pressure drops. Increasing Source and Sink distance increases
the primary loop mass flow rate due to gravity effect.

REFERENCES
[I] Pakistan Economic condition.
[2] ProfSama Bilbao y Leon." The Next Generation of Nuclear Reactor
Designs "Department of Mechanical Engineering Virginia common
wealth University.
[3] University of Chicago White Paper on "comparison between large scale
reactors and small modular reactor'.
[4] V.Borisenko, I.Kadenko,"Analysis of the natural circulation standard
problem for Kozloduy NPP unit 6". Taras Shevchenko National
University of KYIV.
[5] P.K. Vijayan and AK. Nayak," ST ABILITY ANALYSIS OF NC
BASED SYSTEMS: PRESSURE TUBE TYPE BWR AND STEAM
GENERATORS" Reactor Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre Trombay, Mumbai-400085, INDIA, and May, 2010
[6] Jalil Jafari, Francesco D' Auria," ANALYSIS OF NATURAL
CIRCULATlON STABILITY IN A LOW PRESSURE
THERMOHYDRAULIC TEST LOOP", AEOT, Karegar Ave. Nuclear
Research Center, Teheran, Iran.
[7] Prof. Ing. Mario Misale." Single-Phase Natural Circulation Loops:
Effects ofGeometry and Heat Sink Temperature on Dynamic Behaviour
and Stability". Universita degli Studi di Genova.
[8] lY. Wang, T.J. Chuang, Y.M. Femg" CFD investigating flow and heat
transfer characteristics in a natural circulation loop", Department of
Engineering and System Science, Institute of Nuclear Engineering and
Science, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Sec. 2 Kuang-Fu Rd.,
Hsingchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
[9] Amit Mangal, Vikas Jain, A.K. Nayak" Capability of the RELAPS code
to simulate natural circulation behavior in test facilities", Reactor Project
Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085,
India

Proceedings of 2017 14th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences & Technology (IBCAST) 480
Islamabad, Pakistan, 10th -14th January, 2017