Development of a dimensionless rod-bundle CHF correlation based on stepwise regression method, Part I: determination of the basic form with CHF data obtained with uniform axial heat flux profile. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pang, Bo; Yin, Yuan
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 143(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Dimensionless rod-bundle CHF correlation -- Stepwise regression; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2020.107454
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: Development of a dimensionless rod-bundle CHF correlation with rod-bundle CHF data. Application of stepwise regression method to optimize the CHF correlation. Assessment of the proposed CHF correlation by comparison with the W-3 and EPRI correlation. Abstract: Accurate prediction of rod-bundle critical heat flux (CHF) is a main challenge in thermal-hydraulic design and safety assessment of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The most widely applied approach is empirical correlation developed based on rod-bundle experiments carefully tested with geometry and power distribution representative to PWR working conditions. The standard procedure is to correlate the experimentally obtained CHF values as empirical functions of local thermal-hydraulic conditions obtained with subchannel analysis. However, up-to-date empirical correlations developed according to this manner are in general quite complicated with a number of dimensional coefficients and correction factors with less or non-physical meanings. In this study, stepwise regression method was used to develop a novel, dimensionless rod-bundle CHF correlation covering typical PWR working conditions. First, various dimensionless parameters affecting CHF were selected as candidate independent variables. With stepwise regression, the form and coefficients of the proposed CHF correlation were dynamically optimized and determined.