Estimation method of water level behavior in the case of large pressure change in a BWR

In a BWR, coolant of core and upper plenum involves so much void volume that free surface level change at downcomer is conspicuous owing to increase and decrease of void volume influenced by pressure change. When mass balance in a reactor vessel becomes non-equilibrium due to steam valve stuck open or feedwater pump trip, difference between liquid level and mixture level becomes very large because of void increased due to depressurization. Therefore, it is very difficult to estimate changes in water level after void exclusion by isolation valve closure etc. So a new parameter ''effective increased void volume'' was contrived to estimate water level in the occurrance of above mentioned phenomena, as a result of consideration about relation between discharged mass and reactor pressure. Degree of water level change under initial operating conditions and reactor pressure change can be estimated by using this parameter. (author)