Modelling of mixing phenomena in reactor cooling system and containment with computional fluid-dynamic codes

Titre du congrès :EUROSAFE 2007 Ville du congrès :Berlin Date du congrès :05/11/2007

The interest in the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software for the analysis of the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of nuclear reactors is growing as the requirements for design and safe operation of nuclear reactors are continuously increasing. The higher accuracy requirements cause questions which can only be answered by detailed experimental investigations combined with the use of modern, three-dimensional simulation techniques. The paper presents state-of-the-art applications of CFD tools for the simulation of flows in the primary system and in the containment of nuclear reactors. The modelling of mixing in reactor coolant systems is exemplified with CFD simulations of thermal-hydraulic transients in nuclear reactors relevant for pressurized thermal shocks and for boron dilution. Flow simulations in the containment pertain to steam, air, and hydrogen mixing and flows with condensation.