Comparison Between Experimental Data and Numerical Modeling for the Natural Circulation Phenomenon
The study of natural circulation phenomenon has been object of crescent interest in scientific community in recent years. The new generation of compact nuclear reactors uses natural circulation of the fluid as a residual heat removal cooling system in case of accident or shutdown. The objective of this paper is to present a comparison between experimental data and numerical simulation results for the natural circulation phenomenon in single and two-phase flow regime. Experimental data were obtained from a circuit built with glass tubes, through which thermal hydraulic phenomenon visualization was possible. The circuit is composed of an electric heater as the heat source, a heat exchanger as the heat sink and an expansion tank to accommodate fluid density changes. Instrumentation data acquisition is performed through thermocouples and pressure meters, and controlled by a computer interface developed using LABVIEW. Numerical modeling and simulations were done with the thermal hydraulic code RELAP5, which is widely used for this purpose. The cyclic reverse flow observed in the circuit was well represented by the numerical model. The comparison demonstrated that the numerical simulations are very close to the experimental data.
NUR research reactor safety analysis study for long time natural convection (NC) operation mode
Abstract The current work represents a part of an overall effort being undertaken to improve NUR nuclear research reactor neutron utilization capabilities using a new core configuration. A RELAP5 model for the reactor NUR under natural convection (NC) operating mode has been developed. The model represents internal pool reactor components with the corresponding geometry, point neutron kinetics, and thermal hydraulics characteristics. An experimental device was designed and implemented in the reactor pool for monitoring the inlet and outlet core temperatures, and other pool temperature positions during NC-operating mode. In this paper, unprotected fast reactivity insertion and total flow blockage of the flapper valve transients have been investigated under NC operating conditions. The achieved steady-state results were found to be in good qualitative agreement with measurements. The results obtained from the transient (FRIA) study were compared to similar approach from recent literature. The second transient herein considered, is an attempt to predict the reactor core thermal-hydraulic behavior under a total flow blockage of the (NC) flapper valve. The latter could be considered as useful contribution for updating the safety analysis report.
Geomagnetic Polarity Epochs: Sierra Nevada Data, 3
Available paleomagnetic and radiometric results for about 60 igneous rocks 3.6 m.y. old or less are consistent with the following geomagnetic polarity epoch time scale: Brunhes normal polarity epoch, 0.0 to 0.85±0.15 million years; Matuyama reversed polarity epoch, 0.85±0.15 to 2.4±0.1 million years; Gauss normal polarity epoch, 2.4±0.1 to 3.35±0.1 million years; Gilbert reversed polarity epoch, 3.35±0.1 million years to (?). A brief interval of normal polarity (the Olduvai event) occurs within the Matuyama reversed epoch at about 1.9 m.y., and a brief interval of reversed polarity (the Mammoth event) occurs within the Gauss normal epoch at about 3.06 m.y. Data for twelve units from eastern California and Nevada, reported here for the first time, are particularly useful in defining the Gauss-Gilbert boundary and for recognizing the Mammoth event.