CFD simulation of two-phase flow and swell level tracking on the steam generator shell side

Abstract

Various types of steam generators with steam evaporation on the shell side around tubes in a bundle are applied in energy, chemical or process plants. Efficient, reliable and safe operation of this equipment strongly depends on the shell side two-phase flow thermal hydraulics. A multidimensional multi-fluid model is developed for the two-phase flow simulation and swell level tracking on the steam generator shell side. Numerical simulation of a small leakage of primary fluid due to the rupture of tubes in a horizontal steam generator is presented in this paper. Predicted are water and steam velocity fields, the steam volume fraction distribution, as well as the swell level increase. The obtained multidimensional results are a support to the safety analyses of the steam generator tube rupture accident.