A coupled RELAP5-3D/CFD methodology with a proof-of-principle calculation Original Research Article

The RELAP5-3D computer code was modified to make the explicit coupling capability in the code fully functional. As a test of the modified code, a coupled RELAP5/RELAP5 analysis of the Edwards–OʹBrien blowdown problem was performed which showed no significant deviations from the standard RELAP5-3D predictions. In addition, a multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code was modified to permit explicit coupling to RELAP5-3D. Several calculations were performed with this code. The first analysis used the experimental pressure history from a point just upstream of the break as a boundary condition. This analysis showed that a multiphase CFD code could calculate the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic conditions during a rapid blowdown transient. Finally, a coupled RELAP5/CFD analysis was performed. The results are presented in this paper.