Zero-dimensional transient model of large-scale cooling ponds using well-mixed approach

Abstract

10Nowadays, nuclear power plants around the world produce vast amounts of spent fuel. After 11 discharge, it requires adequate cooling to prevent radioactive materials being released into the 12 environment. One of the systems available to provide such cooling is the spent fuel cooling 13 pond. The recent incident at Fukushima, Japan shows that these cooling ponds are associated 14 with safety concerns and scientific studies are required to analyse their thermal performance. 15However, the modelling of spent fuel cooling ponds can be very challenging. Due to their large 16 size and the complex phenomena of heat and mass transfer involved in such systems. In the 17 present study, we have developed a zero-dimensional (Z-D) model based on the well-mixed 18 approach for a large-scale cooling pond. This model requires low computational time compared 19 with other methods such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) but gives reasonable results 20are key performance data. This Z-D model takes into account the heat transfer processes taking 21 place within the water body and the volume of humid air above its surface as well as the 22