Solution of multiple circuits of steam cycle HTR system

Abstract In order to analyze the dynamic operation performance and safety characteristics of the steam cycle high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTR) systems, it is necessary to find the solution of the whole HTR systems with all coupled circuits, including the primary circuit, the secondary circuit, and the residual heat removal system (RHRS). Considering that those circuits have their own individual fluidity and characteristics, some existing code packages for independent circuits themselves have been developed, for example THEMRIX and TINTE code for the primary circuit of the pebble bed reactor, BLAST for once through steam generator. To solve the coupled steam cycle HTR systems, a feasible way is to develop coupling method to integrate these independent code packages. This paper presents several coupling methods, e.g. the equivalent component method between the primary circuit and steam generator which reflect the close coupling relationship, the overlapping domain decomposition method between the primary circuit and the passive RHRS which reflects the loose coupling relationship. Through this way, the whole steam cycle HTR system with multiple circuits can be easily and efficiently solved by integration of several existing code packages. Based on this methodology, a code package TINTE–BLAST–RHRS was developed. Using this code package, some operation performance of HTR–PM was analyzed, such as the start-up process of the plant, and the depressurized loss of forced cooling accident when different number of residual heat removal trains is operated.