Simulation of the Propagation of Pressure Waves in Piping Systems with RELAP5/MOD 3.2.2: Comparison of Computed and Measured Results (NUREG/IA-0206)

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Publication Information

Date Published: June 2007

Prepared by:
Jürgen Perlia, Wolfgang Münch
TÜV SÜD
Section Thermo- and Fluiddynamics
Westendstraße 199
D-80686 Munich, Germany

M.B. Rubin, NRC Project Manager

Prepared as Part of:
The Agreement on Research Participation and Technical Exchange
Under the International Code Assessment and Maintenance Program (CAMP)

Published by:
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

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Abstract

The present paper demonstrates the suitability of the computer code RELAP5/MOD 3.2.2 to describe the propagation of pressure waves in piping systems.

First of all a pressure wave in a simple straight pipe was analyzed with RELAP5. The results of the computation were compared with the outcomes we obtained with the computer code DWELL. DWELL is an in-house development based on the method of characteristics. The results of both codes showed a very good agreement.

Further we analyzed the following two transients for a 1200 MWe PWR-plant:

• turbine trip
• shutting down of a feed water pump

In both cases, pressure versus time was recorded at several positions of the piping system concerned. The measured pressure signal curves were compared with the results of post test calculations performed with RELAP5.

A comparison of the results showed a good agreement and proved that RELAP5 is able to solve pressure wave problems.