Experimental Studies for SGDHR System of PFBR

The viability of the fully passive PFBR decay heat removal system was successfully demonstrated by experiments with water medium in different facilities and with sodium in SADHANA facility. Experimental studies were carried out to understand Core – Hot Pool – DHX interaction during SGDHR operation in scaled models of the PFBR. In 1:4 scaled model of the reactor, experiments were carried out to demonstrate decay heat removal and to understand influence of complicated phenomenon like IWF. Experimental results have shown that all the proposed heat transport paths have influence on core cooling. Approximate estimation of IWF contribution is found to be 25% of total in heat removal. Performance of SGDHR system at steady state, transients and some of the off normal conditions were studied and characterized by the in sodium experiments conducted in SADHANA facility. These experiments revealed the adequacy and capability of SGDHR system to remove the decay heat from the fast breeder reactor core after its shutdown