Validation of TRACE 5.0 for steam line break with passive auxiliary feedwater system via the ATLAS facility

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design 2024-06, Vol.422, p.113115, Article 113115
• Main Authors: Akram, Yumna, Matesha, Polina, Khuwaileh, Bassam, Alyammahi, Nourah, Yoon, Ho Joon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.113115

•The TRACE 5.0 code was validated against the ATLAS C2.3 experimental data.•The validation includes the pre-test and the post-test calculation.•The ATLAS C2.3 test conducts Steam Line Break with Passive Auxiliary Feedwater System.•The key thermal–hydraulic parameters were identified and evaluated by TRACE simulation. The TRAC/RELAP Advanced Computational Engine (TRACE) reactor systems code was validated for the Passive Auxiliary Feedwater System (PAFS) using the experimental data from the Advanced Thermal-Hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation (ATLAS) facility. The accident scenario which emulates a Double-Ended Guillotine Break (DEGB) in the main steam line of Steam Generator 1, was meticulously analyzed, with a focus on transient events and steady-state conditions with an error margin of less than 2%. Comprehensive comparative analyses of key thermal hydraulic parameters, including system pressures, temperatures, flow rates, and water levels, were conducted. Discrepancies were systematically identified, investigated, and effectively resolved. The experimental results underscore the successful role of passive safety systems in mitigating potential accident impacts, emphasizing their pivotal contribution to the overall safety and reliability of nuclear reactor systems. Furthermore, the simulation results effectively mirror the experimental data, demonstrating TRACE's capability to adequately simulate the behavior of a passive feedwater system during a main steam line break.