AUTHOR=Deng Jian , Zhu Dahuan , Luo Yuejian , Sun Hongping , Zhang Ming , Liu Lili , Xiang Qingan , Wu Xiaoli , Xu Youyou , Xiong Qingwen 

TITLE=Coupled Analysis of Heat Transfer in a Molten Pool With Three-Layer Configuration

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Energy Research

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/energy-research/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2022.915450

DOI=10.3389/fenrg.2022.915450

ISSN=2296-598X

ABSTRACT=<p>Understanding a reliable description of the heat transfer in the molten pool with three-layer configuration is inevitable for the design of severe accident mitigation measures in research reactors, such as IVR-ERVC. However, investigations on a thick lower metallic layer are scarce. Thus, further studies on heat transfer in a molten pool with a thick lower metallic layer are highly required, based on previous severe accident studies in light water reactors. This study conducts a numerical simulation of heat transfer in the molten pool with a thick lower metallic layer during a severe accident, combining model development, code verification, and code application. First, the MPCAP code has been developed, based on the coupled simulation of natural convection inside the molten pool, two-dimensional heat conduction in the RPV lower head, and convection outside the reactor vessel wall. Then, a verification case has been conducted using three-layer configuration in AP1000. The AP1000 verification case indicates that the MPCAP code predicts important parameters in the molten pool well.</p>