FR0200646

BLOWDOWN TRANSIENT FOR SODIUM-STEAM WATER SG FOR PROTOTYPE

FAST BREEDER REACTOR
H. G. Lele, A. Srivastava, P. Majumdar, D. Mukhopadhyciy, S. K. Gupta
v/^ and S. C. Chetal*
Reactor safety Division, Bhabha atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai-85, India
* Associate Director, Reactor Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Chennai,
India
e-mail: hglele@apsara.barc.ernet.in

KEYWORDS: LOCA, BLOWDOWN, LEAK

ABSTRACT
Prototype Fast Breeder Test Reactor (PFBR) Steam Generator is once through steam
generator in which water flows from bottom to top in 547 tubes, changing its state from highly
subcooled to superheated state as it receives heat from sodium flowing from top to bottom in the shell
side. Depressurisation of steam generator from the dump valve provided at bottom is protective
action. It prevents further possibility of water steam leak into sodium and subsequent sodium - water
reaction. To perform depressurisation transient analysis of PFBR appropriate thermal hydraulic
modeling of SG is essential. Correct thermal hydraulic modelling needs simulation of sodium system,
steam water system with different states from highly subcooled to sjperheated, coupling between
sodium and steam-water system, SG tube and shell and different vake action. The computer code
DPPFBR is developed with capability to simulate all these systems and phenomena encountered
during transient. Different models of the code have been validated and code has been used for
analysing depressurisation transient.
This paper describes various models used in the code and results of analysis for typical
scenario.

INTRODUCTION
PFBR is a 1263 MWt, 500 MWe fast breeder reactor power plant. Super heated steam at 17.17
MPa is produced in eight modules of secondary sodium heated stecim generators (SG). The plant
consists of two secondary sodium loops, each feeding four steam generator modules. Each steam
generator is of straight vertical, once through type, with evaporator and super heater integrated in
the same unit. The steam generator consists of 547 tubes of 17.2 mm OD, 2.3 mm thick and 23 meter
long attached to top and bottom tube sheets. Water-steam flows through the tubes from bottom ends
and sodium flows in the shell side from top to bottom. In order to ensure stable operation of SG under
all conditions, orifices are provided at the bottom of each tube which gives rise to 1 MPa friction
pressure drop for the feed water flow at nominal full power condition. The top and bottom tube sheets
are relatively thick (150 mm). In order b protect these from thermal shocks, 4 number of 10 mm
thermal shields have also been provided for both the tube sheet.
One of the major risks in sodium heated SG are possibility of water/steam leak into the sodium
and consequent sodium-water reaction. However, efficient water-steam leak detection (into sodium)
system is used to detect leaks (~ 10.1 gm/s) and initiate protective actions, which prevents further
sodium-water reactions. The main protective actions envisaged is to cut the feed water supply, isolate
the SG unit main steam header and depressurisation of the SG through steam-water dump valves at
the feed water inlet end of the SG. Fig 1 shows the schematic of a SG module along with the various
isolation valves. All the valves involved in these actions are quick acting gate valves powered by
pneumatic motive fluids. The isolation valves V1 and V2 are normally open and the dump valves V3

33/08
 oooe
and V4 are normally closed. The steam-water mixture dumped during depressurisation is diverted to
dump tank where steam and water are separated and the steam vented to the atmosphere. Due to
the design requirements of keeping the dump tank (DPT) at the lowest elevation below the SG and
the steam to be vented out into atmosphere at the highest elevation in the SG/turbine buildings, a
vent line length of 35 m to 40 m is envisaged. In order to have a high reliability for the dumping on a
demand, the dump valves are duplicated. This paper describes analysis done using DPPFBR with
one dump valve open.

DESCRIPTION OF MODEL
For appropriate thermal hydraulic modeling of steam generator, it is necessary to simulate sodium
system, steam-water system, steam generator tubes and shell, coupling between sodium and steam
water system, air system and valves in the system. The computer code DPPFBR is developed in
modular form, representing various phenomena and systems described above with each of its
module validated separately. Brief description of various modules is as fo lows:

H2OHYD: This module simulates basic process in steam-water system. Hydrodynamic

equations solved are continuity, energy and momentum equation along with equation of state.
Momentum equation includes inertial, acceleration and gravitational terms. Frictional pressure drop is
computed as a function of Reynold number and two phase friction multiplier. Control volume
approach is used in solution of conservation equation. Mass and enercjy equations are solved at the
center of the control volume and momentum equation is solved at the junction between two control
volumes. It has interface with heat slab model, from which energy transport is taken into account.
Various valves and their operation in the system are accounted by its interface with control simulation
module. The system can be divided into 100 volumes and 100 junctions. The governing equations are
as follows:

Continuity Equation

dt +
dz
Energy Equation

A +
dt dz *
where Q is heat input from the slab to which the fluid control volume is connected.

Momentum Equation

G2A\
+ A +Apg + F
dZ dZ ** dZ

Friction factors required for the calculation of F are compuied based on initial pressure
disturtion, which is updated during the transient based on Reynolds numbers and Matinelli-Nelson
two-phase flow. Computation of pump shaft work is described in the dump model.

Equation of State

P=P{h,p)
 OGO
Equation of state in the above form is used to compute pressure in the control volume
through iterative procedure forsubcooled, saturated and superheated conditions.

Various light water properties are fed in the form of tables generated by computer code
H2OPROP[1]

NaHYD: Hydrodynamic equation solved is energy conservation equations. Sodium inlet flow, inlet
temperature and pressure are assumed constant. It considers energy transport b steam generator
tube and loss from steam generator shell by interface with heat slab module. Sodium properties are
calculated using sodium property routine [2]. Pressure and flow are used as boundary condition. The
system can be divided into 100 volumes.

HSLAB : This module solves two dimensional heat conduction equation for solid structures like tube
and wall and obtain temperature distribution in them. Appropriate boundary conditions are obtained
from connected sodium or steam-water volumes, simulating energy transport from/to them.
Temperature dependent solid properties are given in form of tables.
The conduction equation solved is as follows:
dk dT dk dT d2T 1 dT d2T dT
dr dr dz dz dr'2
[_ dr A. d>
K dr
This equation is solved using generalized finite difference method and using appropriate boundary
conditions.

HTCWAT : This module computes heat transfer coefficient using pressure, flow, temperature and
quality as input from connected steam water volume to the heat slab and heat slab temperatures. It
covers entire range from subcooled to superheated, that steam-water in the tube can experience
during transient. It also includes critical heat flux models.

SCENARIO
Scenario assumed for the analysis is as follows:
1. Dump valve starts opening at time = 0.0 seconds and opens linearly in 3 seconds.
2. Feed water valve and system valve starts closing at time = 0.0 seconds and closes linearly in 3
seconds
3. Sodium isolation valve closes in 10 seconds.

DESCRETISATION
The nodalisation scheme used for the analysis is shown in Fig. 2. The steam-water system is divided
into 12 control volumes and 13 junctions. Sodium system is divided into 6 control volumes. 4 heat
slabs are used connecting sodium system and steam-water system. While 6 heat slabs are used to
simulation of losses from shell side.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Fig 3 shows behaviour of boundary condition flows i.e. feed flow, steam flow and sodium
flow. Sodium flow and steam flow reduces to 0 linearly from their steady state value of 730.1 and 70.3
kg/s in 3 seconds and 10 seconds respectively, as their sodium and steam valves close in 3 seconds
and 10 seconds. Feed valve closes in 3 seconds, but feed flow increase at beginning due to reduction
in downstream pressure as a result of dump valve opening. Feed flow starts reducing after reaching
its peak value of about 450.0 kg/s and becomes 0 in 3 seconds.
 oooe
Fig 4 shows behaviour of blowdown flow from dump valve. This flow depends upon dump
valve opening, its area, system pressure and state of fluid. At the beginning flow accelerate as valve
open and system is subcooled at high pressure. The flow reaches to its peak value at about 1.2
seconds, oscillate due to pressure behaviour and starts reducing at about 2.2 seconds and reaches
to very close to low value at about 10 seconds when system pressure comes down. Fig. 5 also shows
behaviour of flow in junction 11.This flow starts developing when volume 10 pressure increases due
to incoming flow from dump tank. This flow lags behind the junction flov/ at the beginning, but is found
more for certain period due to pressurisation of volume 10 and becomes equal towards the end of
transient.
Fig 5 depicts pressure behaviour in control volumes representing steam generator tubes. The
pressure behaviour in these volumes is governed by pressure behaviour in the lower \olumes and
heat transferred from sodium flowing in the shell side through steam generator tubes. At the
beginning the pressures in all these volumes fall to 15.52 MPa in aboul 1.4 seconds. At this time flow
in respective junctions (junctions 4,5,6 and 7) leverse, reach to maxinum negative value and starts
decreasing. Due to decreased heat removal compared to one coming from sodium side, there is
enthalpy rise in all these volumes. From 1.4 second to about 3.5 second pressure increases to about
16.0 MPa as enthalpy rise dominates over density reduction. Pressure decreases to about 2.2 MPa in
about 10 seconds. Rate of pressure fall reduces after this point, due to increase in air volume
pressure. After this time pressure continues to decrease slowly, reaching 0.5 MPa in about 54.0
seconds.
Fig. 6 displays fluid temperatures in steam generator tube voUmes. It can be seen that all
temperatures increase from their initial value. Maximum temperature attained is about 500 C for
uppermost volume and minimum value of 412 C is for subcooled volume at bottom.
Fig. 7 depicts steam generator tube temperature at various axial locations of steam generator
tubes. At the beginning temperatures of tube on both the sodium and steam-water side are different
nearer sodium and steam-water temperatures. Due to depressurisation on steam-water side, there is
deterioration in heat transfer coefficient and hence heat removal from tube. This results in increase in
SG tube temperatures. Both the inside and outside temperatures at all axial location temperature
become equal towards the end of transient, as there is no heat transfer.
Fig. 8 indicates variation in SG shell temperature during transient at various locations.
Topmost portion of shell (hs 5) shows constant temperature due to no heat transfer and constant
sodium inlet temperature. Shell temperatures at other locations indcate increase due to rise in
sodium temperature. Difference in temperature in the shell along thickness during transient can be
attributed to heat capacity of shell.
Fig. 9 shows behaviour of sodium temperatures at various axial locations. Temperature at the
top location (volume 6) is constant as it is assumed boundary condition. Temperatures at other
locations are dependent on relative influence sodium flow reduction and heat transferred to
connected heat slab. Minimum temperature is at the outlet of volumes 4 of 347 C and reaches at
about 4.42 seconds.
Fig. 10 depicts typical validation result for steam-water module of DPPFBR. In this plot
prediction of DPPFBR are compared with experimental data of Dementev [3]. Dementev's high
pressure blowdown test in simple cylindrical vessel was used for comparison purpose. Cylindrical
vessel was .309 m in diameter and 2.130 m in height. Break location was at 1.702 m and break
diameter was 25 mm. Vessel was filled with subcooled liquid at pressure of 12.3 MPa and
temperature of 535 k upto 1.830 m height. It can be seen that pressure prediction of DPPFBR is
close to experimental data with blodown time of about 50 seconds.

CONCLUSIONS
Computer code DPPFBR is developed that can simulate both sodium and steam-water
systems. It has been validated for some of its models and PFBR Steam generator is anlysed for
blowdown from dump valve for one scenario. Further validation can be done after FBTR data is
 oooe
available. Time for prerssure to come down to 0.5 MPa was found to be about 54 seconds.Further
studies with different descretisation and and scenerios need to be carried.

REFERENCES:
1.0 H.G. Lele and S.K. Gupta, H2OPROP- Computer Code for Determination of Light Water
Properties, BARC/1999/E/018, 1990
2.0 S.P Damodaran, K Velusamy and P. Selvaraj, Propeties of Stainlesss Steel, Carbon, Steel,
Sodium, Air, Argon and Nitrogen, PFBR/30000/DN/1005/R-A,1986
3.0 H. Pfau, I. Toth and G. Sonneck, Investigation of Phase Separation Models in RELAP4/MOD6,
IAEA Workshop on IAEA Program in Use of Computer Codes for Safety Analysis, varna,
Bulgaria, 28 May-June 1 1984, 1984.
 oooe
Steam Line
G

10 m long

Vent 166 mm ID
v2

Sodium inlet
Steam Generator
OD 855 mm and 83 l m m

Sodium Outlet

Vi

V. v4
20 m long
^
155 mm ID Main Feed Water
Inlet line

Depressuriser Tank

Fig. 1 Schematic of PFBR Steam Generator

 Na Volumes
oooe
Steam Water Volumes
Na Inlet

Steam piping
Upper plenum Steam Valve

Steam Flow

! I' i

Supper heated

2-O

2-<P

hk 4

l-O

Lower plenum

Feeder Valve
Na Outlet TDV

Feed Flow

V 13

12 10 Dump Valve

11 10
10

DPT
Fig. 2 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS : NODALISATION
 oooe
0 10 20 30 40 50 6C
0 10 20 30 40 50 6C l '
800 - I ' 1 1 1
1 ' I I

700 - 700
700 -
Feed Flow Valve (in- 10)
600 - 600
600 -
\
Steam Flow
il * Flow to DPT (jn. 11)

500 -
\ Sodium Flow
- 500
500 -
I - 500

400 -
;i 400

1 400 - - 400

5
JO
300 - 'I 300
-low

300 -
\ \
- 300 LL !lI 200
200 -
200 -
j \
^- 200

100 -
il
:\ -
100 - -
i
0 -
".: \
- 0
0 - 7* V - 0

100 - 1 i i i -100
-100 - I 10 20 30 40 50 60
10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (s)
T i m e (s)
F i g . 3 PFBR SG D E P R E S S U R I S A T I O N A N A L Y S I S :BOUNDARY C O N D I T I O N S FLOW Fig. 4 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS :FLOW FROM DUMP VALVE
0 20 40 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
800 - 800

700 - 700

600

o
a. 10 -
CD
400 - 400
2
5. Volume 1
300 -
Q_ volume 2
*Volume 3
T volume 4

100

40 60
Time in sec 10 20 30 40 50

Time (s)
Fig. 5 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS :UPPER VOLUME PRESSURES
Fig. 6 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS : UPPER VOLUME TEMPERATURE
 oooe
10 20 30 40 50 60
700 700 600

HS 1 Temperature on Sodium Side HS 5 Outside Temperature

650- 650
-- HS 5 Tube side Temperature
HS 1 Temperature on WaterSide
HS 4 Temperature on Sodium Side
HS 8 Outside Temperature
600- HS 4 Temperature on WaterSide 600 -.- HS 8 Tube side Temperature - 550

O
^.550-1 550
CD

S 500- 500 500-

" 450- 450

400- 400 - 450

*~**tf>r^
350- 350
30 40 50 60
10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (s)
Time (s)
Fig. 7 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS : SG TUBE TEMPERATURE Fig. 8 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS : SG SHELL TEMPERATURE

0 10 20 30 40 50 60
700- 700 14 I 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 (-14

-Volume 1
650- Volume 2 650
12 -12
- Volume 3 DPPFBR Prediction
-Volume 4 A Experiment data
-Volume 5 10 -10
-Volume 6
a, 550-
8 -8
S 500 H 500
o.
-6
H 450-

-4
400

-2
350- 350

300'
20 30 40 50 60 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (s) Time (s)

Fig. 9 PFBR SG DEPRESSURISATION ANALYSIS : SODIUM OUTLET TEMPERATURE Fig. 10 Validation of DPPFBR : Expt data of Dementev