Progress in reflood thermal hydraulics studies in the past 40 years

Bao Wen Yang, Stephen M. Bajorek, Yue Jin, Fan Bill Cheung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Accurate simulation of reflood transients of a reactor core is one of the top priorities for nuclear reactor thermal–hydraulic and safety analysis. An in-depth understanding of the two-phase flow and heat transfer process during reflooding can provide extremely useful information on the design and analysis of the various safety systems as well as on the development of numerical analysis tools. In the current paper, the status of the reflood transients in the past several decades is overviewed and discussed in detail, in the hope to provide a roadmap for future relevant research. Following an introduction of the current topic, the phenomenological aspects related to reflood are discussed first. Then, studies on the two-phase flow thermal–hydraulic non-equilibrium are reviewed and evaluated critically. The flow channel pressure drop as well as the spacer grid effect constitute important parts of reflood thermal–hydraulic and safety analysis, and various studies on these topics are discussed. Another important consideration during reflood transients is the liquid droplet behavior since it affects the rod bundle thermal response. In addition, the current paper also identifies the several limitations and the need for future research work on reflood thermal hydraulics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number111073
JournalNuclear Engineering and Design
Volume376
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Nuclear Energy and Engineering
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Mechanical Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Progress in reflood thermal hydraulics studies in the past 40 years'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this