Effects of a Venturi-Type Flow Restrictor on the Thermal-Hydraulic Response of the Secondary Side of a Pressurized Water Reactor Steam Generator to a Main Steam Line Break

A numerical analysis has been performed to simulate the transient thermal-hydraulic response to a main steam line break (MSLB) for the secondary side of a steam generator (SG) model equipped with a venturi-type SG outlet flow restrictor at a pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant. To investigate the effects of the flow restrictor on the thermal-hydraulic response of SG to the MSLB, numerical calculation results for the SG model equipped with the flow restrictor are compared to those obtained for an SG model without the restrictor. Both analysis models contain internal structures. The present computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been examined by comparing to a simple analytical model. It is confirmed from the comparison that the CFD model simulates the transient response of the SG secondary to the MSLB physically plausibly and minutely. Based on the CFD analysis results for both cases with or without the restrictor, it is seen that the intensities of the steam velocity and dynamic pressure are considerably attenuated in the SG model equipped with the restrictor comparing to the case in the SG model without the restrictor.