Status of PACTEL facility

Since 1976, the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the Technical Research Centre of Finland and Lappeenranta University of Technology have cooperated in the field of nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics. During these years, a series of experimental facilities (REWET-I, -II, -III, VEERA) simulating pressurized water reactors (PWRs) have been built. The newest facility, PACTEL (Parallel Channel Test Loop), is an experimental out-of-pile facility designed to simulate the major components and system behaviour of a commercial PWR during postulated small and medium size break loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs), natural circulation and operational transients. A PACTEL natural circulation experiment has been carried out as an OECD/NEA international standard problem ISP 33. (2 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.)