The DRACCAR code, under development by IRSN, simulates in a 3D geometry the thermo-mechanical behaviour of a fuel rods bundle (a fuel assembly or a portion of it), during a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Mechanical and thermal interactions between rods are considered. The code is also coupled with a thermo-hydraulic system code (CESAR at the present) to account for the two-phase water behaviour in the sub-channels type 3D geometry. The present report describes the results of different DRACCAR calculations to simulate the behaviour of the average and hot rod during a LOCA, initiated by a break (15 inches of size) in the cold leg of a French PWR 1300. The DRACCAR results, concerning the fuel rods thermal and mechanical behaviour, are compared to the CATHARE2 ones to quantify the differences between the two calculations and to list the differences between the code models. The assessment of the DRACCAR thermo-hydraulic models will be addressed in the future. The performed work is within the Specific Topic of Cooperation N° 2 - DRACCAR CODE between ENEA and IRSN.
Test of DRACCAR thermo-mechanical models on a Loss of coolant accident (LOCA) in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWrs), simulation. Comparison with CATHARE2 results
Ederli, S.
2011-11-16
Abstract
The DRACCAR code, under development by IRSN, simulates in a 3D geometry the thermo-mechanical behaviour of a fuel rods bundle (a fuel assembly or a portion of it), during a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Mechanical and thermal interactions between rods are considered. The code is also coupled with a thermo-hydraulic system code (CESAR at the present) to account for the two-phase water behaviour in the sub-channels type 3D geometry. The present report describes the results of different DRACCAR calculations to simulate the behaviour of the average and hot rod during a LOCA, initiated by a break (15 inches of size) in the cold leg of a French PWR 1300. The DRACCAR results, concerning the fuel rods thermal and mechanical behaviour, are compared to the CATHARE2 ones to quantify the differences between the two calculations and to list the differences between the code models. The assessment of the DRACCAR thermo-hydraulic models will be addressed in the future. The performed work is within the Specific Topic of Cooperation N° 2 - DRACCAR CODE between ENEA and IRSN.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
