IAEA Technical Meeting on In-Vessel Melt Retention and Ex-Vessel

Corium Cooling Oct. 17-21, 2016, Shanghai, CHINA

Introduction of CAP1400 IVR experiments

SNERDI: Guobao Shi, Kemei Cao, Kun Zhang, Ning Guo

SJTU: Bo Kuang, Pengfei Liu
Contents

1. Introduction

2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

4. Conclusion
1. Introduction

 In-Vessel Retention of core debris

 An important strategy for managing severe accidents of CAP1400

 Retain the molten debris in the RPV by externally cooling water in the cavity and/or

in-vessel injection

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1. Introduction

 Failure criteria of RPV lower head

 Structural failure criteria

 Thermal failure criteria

Heat flux from molten core debris to wall of RPV lower head

VS

Critical heat flux (CHF) at outer surface of RPV lower head

CHF: key factor of IVR strategy

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1. Introduction

 Mechanism of CHF is complicated

Characteristics
Geometry of of natural Water
RPV lower circulation temperature at
head inlet structure
Geometry of flow Surface
path between RPV characteristics of
and insulation RPV lower head

Distribution of
System
heat flux along
pressure
RPV lower head

Decay heat of Composition of

molten debris CHF fluid

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1. Introduction

 Previous CHF experiments supporting IVR design

ULPU experiments: supporting IVR design of AP600/AP1000

ULPU-I ULPU-II ULPU-III ULPU-IV ULPU-V

Reactor type AP600 AP600 AP600 AP1000 AP1000

Angle range -30~30° 0~90° 0~90° 0~90° 0~90°

Surface material of Copper,

Copper Copper Copper Copper
heating section Carbon steel
Deionized
Deionized Deionized Deionized Deionized
Fluid water, tap
water water water water
water
Temperature of inlet
Saturated Saturated Saturated Saturated Saturated
fluid
Distribution of heat
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
flux

Height of test loop NA Full height Full height Full height Full height

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 1. Introduction

 Previous CHF experiments supporting IVR design

ULPU experiments: supporting IVR design of AP600/AP1000

ULPU-I ULPU-II ULPU-III ULPU-IV ULPU-V

Curved baffle, its
Modification of baffle
radius of curvature
base on ULPU-IV (inlet,
same as that of
Geometry of Straight adjustable baffle,
NA No insulation vessel, different
flow path insulation smooth transition from
distances to
baffle to riser), reduce
heater block, “exit”
“exit” phenomena
phenomena
Fresh copper, newly
Effect of surface sand-blasted copper,
NA NA NA NA
characteristics sand-blasted copper
with tap water treatment
Effect of system
NA NA NA NA NA
pressure
Natural Natural Natural
Circulation type Natural circulation Natural circulation
circulation circulation circulation
Maximum heat
2.0 MW/m2 2.0 MW/m2 2.0 MW/m2 2.4 MW/m2 2.4 MW/m2
flux

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1. Introduction

 Other CHF experiments

 BETA

 MIT  CHF measurement

 SBLB  Surface characteristics

 Chemical fluid
 CYBL
 Coating
 SULTAN  Nanofluids

 ……  ……

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1. Introduction

 Problems needed to research further on full height facility

 Relationship between CHF and natural circulation

 Effect of geometry of flow path between RPV and insulation

 Effect of water temperature at inlet of heater section

 Effect of surface characteristics of RPV lower head

 Effect of system pressure

 Effect of different fluid composition

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1. Introduction

 Purpose of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments

 Research characteristics of ERVC natural

circulation flow and heat transfer
 Verify mechanism effecting CHF by different
factors
 Obtain actual CHF of CAP1400 RPV lower
head
 Support IVR evaluation and safety analysis
of CAP1400
IVR-ERVC facility

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

4. Conclusion
2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Design principles

 Full-height facility as prototype of CAP1400 with slice geometry

 Scaling of main flow area and modeling of important structure

 Natural circulation flow

 Use prototype material as surface of heating section

 Use the same testing fluid as prototype

 Experiment conditions (such as thermal conditions, fluid conditions,

heating surface characteristics, geometry of flow path, etc.) can be

adjusted to simulate different accident conditions

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

Prototype Model
E

A D

D A

C B B

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （1）

 Two kinds of heater block

 Copper
 Full size composite panel (copper +
SA 508)

-15- Explosive welding

2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （2）

 Capability of conducting
chemical fluid experiment

 Conduct experiments with

chemical fluid in full height
facility

 TSP, BA, TSP+BA, concentration

from actual CAP1400 conditions Water chemistry adjusting system

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （3）

64

 Capability of changing inlet

48

Inlet subcooling degree（K）

water temperature
32

 Analysis of typical accidents 16

indicate that inlet water of ERVC 0

45 39 33 27 21 15

may be subcooled Decay heat（MW）

 Condensing and cooling system

can cool down the inlet water to
70℃

Condensing and cooling system

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （4）

 Insulation flow path adjustable

 Baffle simulating insulation can be

replaced to model different flow path
geometry

 Inlet and exit structure can be opened

partly to model different flow area

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （5）

 Capability of achieve various

surface characteristics of RPV

 Conduct CHF experiments with

oxidized surface in full height
facility

 A new method to oxidize the whole

heating block in air

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Main characteristics of CAP1400 IVR-ERVC experiments （6）

 Capability of achieve different

system pressure

 Conduct CHF experiments with

different system pressure in full
height facility
 Pressure control system
• Compressed air system
• Condenser
• Spray system
• Relief valve
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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Measuring system

 Electric power in heater block — electric current and voltage

 Temperature distribution of heater block — thermocouple

 Measurement of CHF — Electric power / heating area

 Fluid temperature — thermocouple

 Pressure / differential pressure — pressure transducer

 Flow rate of natural circulation — electromagnetic flow meter

 Water level — magnetic level gauge

 Flow pattern observation — high speed camera

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2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

 Supporting systems

Main control room DCS system

Chemical treatment system

Power control system Cooling water system Water supply system

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

4. Conclusion
3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiment methodology

Fill preheated
Heat up water to
Check status of facility deionized water into
expected temperature
test loop

Repeat the elevation Reduce heating power

process of heating when temperature of Elevate heating power
power using smaller heater block rise up gradually (5%-2%)
step quickly

Continue other tests

or end
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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiment methodology

Total heating power history Temperature history of heater block

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Develop a new method of obtaining CHF

 CHF is measured by indirect method

Pi
qi  Ci
Si

𝑞𝑖 = 𝐶𝐻𝐹

𝑃𝑖 = ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝 𝑖 𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐶𝐻𝐹 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠

𝑆𝑖 = 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝 𝑖 𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐶𝐻𝐹 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠

𝐶𝑖 = 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Develop a new method of obtaining CHF

 Obtain correction factor C through thermal equilibrium experiment and

CFD analysis

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Matrix of IVR-ERVC experiments

Base case of deionized water

Copper heating Sensitivity tests of different flow path

series geometry
Sensitivity tests of different inlet water
temperature
ERVC Base case of deionized water
experiments
Sensitivity tests of different inlet water
Prototype temperature
material heating
series Sensitivity tests of different surface
characteristics
Sensitivity tests of different system
pressure

Chemical water (TSP, BA)

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

Previous tests CAP1400 experiments

Scale Small scale Full height
Surface material Copper, SS, SA508 Prototype material (SA 508)
Heating with embedded
Heating method Joule heating (promote erosion)
cartridge heaters
Pre-oxidation of whole heater
Oxidation No pre-oxidation in most tests
block

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 RPV surface may be oxidized in air at high temperature during long time
operation

 Experiments consist of three steps:

 Heat up small sample of prototype material in air and measure its surface
characteristics in order to obtain the actual surface characteristics
 Heat up the whole heater block using the same method as small sample
 Conduct CHF experiments

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step

 Preparation of sample: oddments

of actual RPV material from New material
manufactory (new material / old
material exposed in air for long
time)

Old material
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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step
 Heat up samples in baking box, 48h every cycle, totally 7 cycles
 Weigh samples at end of every cycle
 Weight of samples stable from cycle4

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step
 Measurement of surface roughness
 Changes of surface roughness after oxidation are neglectable

Sample New material without Old material without New material Old material
pre-oxidation pre-oxidation after oxidation after oxidation
Ra 2.61 4.33 2.60 4.19

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step
 Observation of macroscopic status after oxidation

New material Old material

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step
 Observation of microcosmic status using SEM

Old material

New material

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 First step

 Analysis of oxide composition

• Main composition of oxide is
Fe-O type: Fe2O3, Fe3O4

New material

Old material
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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 Second step

 Heat up the whole heater block

• 300 ℃
• 2 weeks
• Special designed heating box
containing electric heater

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3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

 Experiments on surface characteristics

 Third step
 Conduct CHF experiments
• Deionized water
• Prototype material
• Saturated inlet water
• Heater block pre-oxidized

 Oxidized heater block shows enhancement of CHF compared with

heater block without preoxidation

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. Design of IVR-ERVC experiment facility

3. Description of IVR-ERVC experiments

4. Conclusion
4. Conclusion

 IVR is one of important severe accident management strategies of

CAP1400

 The purpose of IVR-ERVC experiments is to obtain CHF at RPV

lower head and research its relevant mechanism

 IVR-ERVC experiment facility was designed and built with a series

of improvements

 Insights achieved in IVR-ERVC experiments contribute to IVR

evaluation, design improvement and safety review of CAP1400

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Thank you for your Attention!

Any questions?

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