EDN: SKIIZI
Authors & Affiliations
Latkin D.Yu.1, Kryzhanovskaya T.I.1, Zakutayev M.O.1, Zaytsev S.I.1, Suslov M.V.1, Petkevich I.G.1, Dremin G.I.2, Elkin I.V.2, Davydov M.V.2, Loktionov V.D.2
1 Experimental Design Bureau “GIDROPRESS”, Podolsk, Russia
2 Elektrogorsk Research Center for Nuclear Power Plant Safety, Elektrostal’, Russia
Latkin D.Yu.1 – 1st Category Design Engineer. Contacts: 21, Ordzhonikidze st., Podolsk, Moscow Region, Russia, 142103. Tel.: +7 (496) 765-26-68; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Kryzhanovskaya T.I.1 – 3rd Category Design Engineer.
Zakutaev M.O.1 – Chief Specialist.
Zaitsev S.I.1 – Leading Design Engineer.
Suslov M.V1. – Leading Design Engineer.
Petkevich I.G.1 – Deputy Head of Department, Head of Group, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Dremin G.I.2 – Candidate of Technical Sciences, Head of Department, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Elkin I.V.2 – Chief Researcher, Dr. Sci. (Tech.).
Davydov M.V.2 – Leading Researcher, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Loktionov V.D.2 – Deputy Director for Research – Head of the Department of Research and Development in the Field of Thermal Physics, Cand. Sci. (Tech.).
Abstract
This article presents the results of the PSB-VVER experimental test facility implementation as part of the OECD NEA “ETHARINUS” project. The experiments were performed at 2022–2023. The overall goal of the experiments was to study the natural circulation of the primary circuit of a VVER reactor power plant under asymmetric heat removal conditions. Asymmetric heat removal is typical for design-basis accidents during loss of power and safety system failures. A disruption in heat removal results in an asymmetric flow distribution in the primary circuit, i.e., asymmetric natural circulation. A disruption in heat removal can be caused by a failure of the main or emergency feedwater supply, or by the emergency closure of a fast-acting shut-off valve or other shut-off element on the steam line. A total of four experiments were performed. The experimental program included experiments with cooldown and warmup of the reactor under asymmetric heat removal conditions. The dynamics of changes in circulation parameters were studied with slow and rapid changes in heat removal parameters from the secondary circuit. Thus, the program implemented on the test facility covers virtually the entire spectrum of phenomena associated with asymmetric natural circulation. The following physical phenomena were experimentally observed: flow stratification across the cross-section of a low-flow coolant loop branch pipe and circulation breakdown during reactor cooldown conditions. This article discusses the results of validation of the KORSAR/GP software package based on the results of one of the experiments. The stages of scenario development are described, based on the experience of previous experiments and their validation in software packages used for safety analysis.
Keywords
OECD NEA “ETHARINUS”, VVER, PSB-VVER, asymmetric single-phase natural circulation, loss of heat removal, reactor cooldown, KORSAR/GP, TRAP-KS, circulation break-out, circulation reversal, flow stratification, pretest modeling, software package validation, experimental database
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
References
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UDC 621.6.06
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2026, no. 1, 1:17
