Disital calculation of transient performance of the primary coolant system in a water reactor

In the design of control systems for nuclear reactors, detailed knowledge of the rate of change of temperature in the reactor core is a very important factor. To evaluate this temperature as a function of time, it is necessary to determine both the heat added from the nuclear reaction itself, and the heat rejected through the cooling medium and through losses. The ability of the cooling medium to remove heat from the reactor is dependent upon the rate of coolant flow. This paper describes an application of a digital computer for computing coolant flow under various transient conditions which may arise during normal operation or during emergencies. The method used takes into account the following factors: 1. Inertia of the coolant fluid. 2. Inertia of rotating equipment (pumps and motors). 3. Frictional pressure drops in the flow paths. 4. Pump head flow characteristics. 5. Friction and windage losses in pumps and motors. 6. Transient effects in the rotor circuits of the pump motors.