Small scale thermal-hydraulic experiment for stable operation of a pius-type reactor

Thermal-hydraulic experiments using a small-scale atmospheric pressure test loop have been performed for the Process Inherent Ultimate Safety (PIUS)-type reactor to develop the new pump speed feedback control system. Three feedback control systems based on the measurement of flow rate, differential pressure, and fluid temperature distribution in the lower density lock have been proposed and confirmed by a series of experiments. Each of the feedback control systems had been verified in the simulation experiment such as a start-up simulation test. The automatic pump speed control based on the fluid temperature at the lower density lock was quite effective to maintain the stratified interface between primary water and borated pool water for stable operation of the reactor. (author)