A Heat Transfer Model for a Stratified Corium-Metal Pool in the Lower Plenum of a Nuclear Reactor

Abstract

This preliminary design report describes a model for heat transfer in a coriummetal stratified pool. It was decided to make use the existing COUPLE model. Currently available correlations for natural convection heat transfer in a pool with and without internal heat generation were obtained. The appropriate correlations will be incorporated in the existing COUPLE model. Heat conduction and solidification modeling will be done with existing algorithms in the COUPLE. Assessment of the new model will be done by simple energy conservation problems. Comparison of Equation (10) Comparison of Equation (10) EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe objective of this design report is to develop a model for heat transfer in stratified corium and metal pools in a nuclear reactor lower head formed as a result of severe accident. Natural convection heat transfer correlations in pools with and without internal heat generation were obtained from existing literature. It was decided to make use of the existing COUPLE model and its algorithm to reduce the coding cost. The appropriate correlations will be incorporated in the COUPLE model. Heat conduction and solidification modeling will be done with existing algorithms in the COUPLE. The new model will be assessed by energy conservation and other simple test problems, because no exact experimental data are available.1