Assessment of TAPINS code for application to thermal-hydraulic analysis of an integral reactor, REX-10

• Published in: Journal of nuclear science and technology 2013-09, Vol.50 (9), p.924-941
• Main Authors: Lee, Yeon-Gun, Park, Goon-Cherl
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: computer code; integral effects tests; PWR-type reactor; REX-10; TAPINS; thermal hydraulics; validation
• ISSN: 0022-3131; 1881-1248
• DOI: 10.1080/00223131.2013.817320

The thermal-hydraulic analysis program for integral reactor system (TAPINS) is a thermal-hydraulic system code developed by Seoul National University for transient analysis of an integral reactor, REX-10. Specialized for a fully passive integral pressurized water reactor, TAPINS adopts a one-dimensional four-equation drift-flux model for two-phase flows. It also consists of component models for the core, the helical-coil steam generator, and the steam-gas pressurizer. This paper presents the developmental assessment of TAPINS to validate its applicability to the thermal-hydraulic analysis of REX-10. Assessment problems are determined by taking into account thermal-hydraulic phenomena expected during design basis accidents of REX-10, including the loss-of-feedwater accident and the small-break loss-of-coolant accident. To confirm the predictive capability of TAPINS for these phenomena, the TAPINS model is validated against four sets of separate effects problems, including the pressurizer insurge test, the subcooled boiling experiment, the critical flow test, and the Edwards pipe problem. In addition, the calculation results of TAPINS are compared with the experimental data obtained from a series of integral effects tests using a scaled apparatus of REX-10. From the validation results, it is demonstrated that TAPINS can provide the reasonable prediction on the thermal-hydraulic responses of REX-10 during the transient and accident conditions.