Transient response of BWR core flow during simulated generator load rejection event

Integral Effects Test (IET) was conducted to investigate the effects of flow redistribution during the generator load rejection event by using the SIRIUS-F facility, which simulates boiling two-phase flow in a BWR core. Owing to the automatic controllers of a recirculation pump inverter and fine-control valves in the facility, the time series of signals of heat flux and mass flux were observed to agree well with those of target rapid flow-decrease events in the previous experimental series. This paper addresses the simulated generator load rejection event, during which the flow and power gradually decrease and the flow takes a turn toward recovery. As a result of the two-parallel channel experiment, mass flux of a hot channel is lower than that of the other during the initial stage. When the void fraction becomes smaller, mass flux of the hot channel is observed to become higher. This phenomenon can be accurately demonstrated with the TRAC-BF1 code as well. The code does, therefore, predict the boiling two-phase flow in a BWR core even at such flow-decrease event. During the event, differential pressure along each channel between the upper and lower plena decreases by several tens of kPa. The relative perturbations of the differential pressure between both channels, however, remain less than 0.4 %, which is a significantly small amount. In conclusion, the differential pressures between the upper and lower plena of two-parallel channels are, therefore, identical to each other regardless of the power.