Thermal-Hydraulics Program in Support of Canadian SCWR Concept Development

The thermal-hydraulics program in support of the development of the Canadian supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) concept has undergone several phases. It focused on key parameters such as heat transfer, critical flow, and stability of fluids at supercritical pressures. Heat-transfer experiments were performed with tubes, annuli, and bundles in water, carbon dioxide (CO2), or refrigerant flows. Data from these experiments have led to enhancement in understanding of the phenomena, improved prediction methods, and verified analytical tools. In addition, these experiments facilitated the investigation of separate effects on heat transfer (such as geometry, diameter, spacing device, and transient). Chocking flow characteristics were studied experimentally with sharp-edged nozzles of two different sizes of opening. Experimental data have been applied in improving the critical-flow correlation in support of accident analyses. A one-dimensional (1D) analytical model for instability phenomena has been developed and assessed against the latest experimental data for quantifying the prediction capability and applicability.