Reverse primary-side flow in steam generators during natural circulation cooling

A TRAC model of the Large Scale Test Facility with a 3-tube steam-generator model was used to analyze natural-circulation test ST-NC-02. For the steady state at 100% primary mass inventory, TRAC was in excellent agreement with the natural-circulation flow rate, the temperature distribution in the steam-generator tubes, and the temperature drop from the hot leg to the steam-generator inlet plenum. TRAC also predicted reverse flow in the long tubes. At reduced primary mass inventories, TRAC predicted the three natural-circulation flow regimes: single phase, two phase, and reflux condensation. TRAC did not predict the cyclic fill-and-dump phenomenon seen briefly in the test. TRAC overpredicted the two-phase natural-circulation flow rate. Since the core is well cooled at this time, the result is conservative. An important result of the analysis is that TRAC was able to predict the core dryout and heatup at approximately the same primary mass inventory as in the test. 4 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs