Simulation of 'Standing Start' Behaviour by the CATHENA Thermalhydraulics Code

Abstract

This paper describes CATHENA sirnulations of the thermalhydraulic behaviour of a CANDU-type fuel channel and feeder system in the absence of forced flow. To initiate flow through the channel from stagnant subcooled liquid conditions, significant void may have to be generated to imbalance the hydrostatic head in the liquid-filled inlet and outlet feeders. To study this phenomenon, "standing start" tests were conducted in the Cold-Water Injection Test (CWIT) facility at Stern Laboratories Inc. (formerly Westinghouse Canada). Selected CWIT "standing start" tests and the results predicted using CATHENA are presented. The results show that CATHENA is able to accurately represent the behaviour experimentally observed.