Numerical Study of the Turbulent Flow from a Steam Dumping Pressurizer Relief Tank

Due to the complex geometry and turbulent flow characteristics, it is hard to simulate the process of steam dumping of the pressurizer relief tank (PRT). In this study, we develop a compressible fluid solver PRTFOAM to numerically study the turbulent flow dynamics from a PRT. The PRTFOAM is implemented based on the OpenFOAM and designed to be capable of integrating various turbulence models. Two representative Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models and a Smagorinsky–Lilly SGS model based on Large Eddy Simulation (LES) are coupled and tested with PRTFOAM. The case of a flow past a circular cylinder (Re = 3900) is tested and analyzed comprehensively as a benchmark case. Then, the turbulent steam dumping process in the full geometry of a PRT is analyzed and compared with ANSYS CFX and literature reports. In addition, we tested the WALE model based on the PRT steam dumping process. The results show that SST k - ω model and Smagorinsky–Lilly SGS model-based LES approach are more appropriate than the LRR model for PRT simulations. Moreover, it shows that the simulation results of Smagorinsky–Lilly SGS model and WALE model are basically consistent under the condition of PRT steam dumping process. Under this condition, the drawbacks of Smagorinsky–Lilly SGS model are not obvious. Furthermore, the comparison with CFX showed that our open source solver could be used to obtain better results in complex engineering cases. The design and testing results would provide guidance for further analysis of thermal-hydraulics in reactors based on open source codes.