TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental investigation of steam condensation in water tank at sub-atmospheric pressure
AU - Mazed, Dahmane
AU - Lo Frano, Rosa
AU - Aquaro, Donato
AU - Del Serra, Daniele
AU - Sekachev, Igor
AU - Olcese, Marco
N1 - Score=10
PY - 2018/8/15
Y1 - 2018/8/15
N2 - The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Vacuum Vessel Pressure Suppression System (VVPSS) limits the Vacuum Vessel (VV) internal pressure, in case of loss of coolant (LOCA) or other pressurizing
accidents from the in-vessel components, to 150 kPa (abs). This is key safety function because a large internal pressure could lead to a breach of the primary confinement barrier. Safety is ensured by discharging the steam
evolved during the accident event to the VVPSS suppression tanks where it is condensed. Steam condensation occurs at sub-atmospheric pressure condition. Moreover, being this latter not standard for traditional nuclear
systems, this investigation is quite new (not studied in detail before) and deals with an experimental investigation of the direct contact condensation at VVPSS prototypical thermal-hydraulic conditions.
To the purpose, a small-scale experimental rig was properly designed and built at Lab. B. Guerrini of DICIUniversity of Pisa as well as different temperature, pressure and steam mass (flow rate per hole) conditions and
sparger patterns have been investigated. The experimental test matrix is also presented in this study. The obtained results show high efficiency of condensation for all examined conditions. The main condensation
regimes at sub-atmospheric pressure conditions were identified. In addition, a comparison was done between the condensation regimes experimentally determined and those available in the literature, which were
obtained at atmospheric pressure. Finally, results demonstrated to be representative of the real configuration at ITER reactor.
AB - The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Vacuum Vessel Pressure Suppression System (VVPSS) limits the Vacuum Vessel (VV) internal pressure, in case of loss of coolant (LOCA) or other pressurizing
accidents from the in-vessel components, to 150 kPa (abs). This is key safety function because a large internal pressure could lead to a breach of the primary confinement barrier. Safety is ensured by discharging the steam
evolved during the accident event to the VVPSS suppression tanks where it is condensed. Steam condensation occurs at sub-atmospheric pressure condition. Moreover, being this latter not standard for traditional nuclear
systems, this investigation is quite new (not studied in detail before) and deals with an experimental investigation of the direct contact condensation at VVPSS prototypical thermal-hydraulic conditions.
To the purpose, a small-scale experimental rig was properly designed and built at Lab. B. Guerrini of DICIUniversity of Pisa as well as different temperature, pressure and steam mass (flow rate per hole) conditions and
sparger patterns have been investigated. The experimental test matrix is also presented in this study. The obtained results show high efficiency of condensation for all examined conditions. The main condensation
regimes at sub-atmospheric pressure conditions were identified. In addition, a comparison was done between the condensation regimes experimentally determined and those available in the literature, which were
obtained at atmospheric pressure. Finally, results demonstrated to be representative of the real configuration at ITER reactor.
KW - Steam condensation
KW - Steam direct contact condensation;
KW - ITER
KW - VVPSS
KW - fusion reactor technology
KW - Tokomak technology
KW - Nuclear safety
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/34241454
U2 - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.05.025
DO - 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.05.025
M3 - Article
SN - 0029-5493
VL - 335
SP - 241
EP - 254
JO - Nuclear Engineering and Design
JF - Nuclear Engineering and Design
ER -