Hydrodynamics of Jets From Guillotine Steam Generator Tube Rupture: Modeling, Analytical Results, Computational Fluid Dynamics Calculation, and Comparison With Experimental Data

Abstract

In this work we study the hydrodynamics of characteristic gas jets resulting from guillotine breaks of steam generator tube rupture sequences (SGTR) in pressurized nuclear power reactors. As an initial step towards describing an “in-bundle” gas jet, a hydrodynamic model of free gas jets emerging from a guillotine break under prototypical SGTR conditions has been developed. First we have studied the jet characteristic for an isolated tube; the analytical model estimates variables such as trajectories, centerline velocities, velocity distribution, and Reynolds stresses. We have performed model comparisons with experimental data for different experimental conditions with different mass flow rates, and we have found good agreement of the model with the experimental results. Additionally, an “ad hoc” expression has been derived for the centerline jet velocity, which has been experimentally confirmed. Consistently with the experimental data and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations the analytical model predicts no outflow near the jet center. As a complementary issue, we have performed CFD calculations for a guillotine tube rupture when the tube is surrounded by several rows of neighboring tubes, in this case the jet trajectories are affected by the Coanda effect near the tubes.