An analysis of air entrainment into residual heat removal pump during the refueling cavity draindown for Kori Unit 2

In 1998, 1999 and 2000, the Kori Unit 2 has experienced the air entrainment and loss of flow in the residual heat removal (RHR) pump during a planned draining of the refueling cavity without the fuel assemblies in the reactor vessel. The water level of the refueling cavity was 1 m above reactor vessel flange when the transients occurred and a similiar event was not known so far in domestic and foreign nuclear power plants. The cause of air entrainment into the RHR pump is analyzed using the RELAP5/MOD3 code in this study. Also, it is qualitatively analyzed the reason why such transients do not occur when fuel assemblies are loaded in reactor vessel