Multi-scale thermalhydraulic analyses performed in NURESIM and NURISP projects

The NURESIM and NURISP successive projects of the 6th and 7th European Framework Programs joined the efforts of 21 partners for developing and validating a reference multi-physics and multi-scale platform for reactor simulation. The platform includes system codes, component codes, and also CFD or CMFD simulation tools. Fine scale CFD simulations are useful for a better understanding of physical processes, for the prediction of small scale geometrical effects and for solving problems that require a fine space and/or time resolution. Many important safety issues usually treated at the system scale may now benefit from investigations at a CFD scale. The Pressurized Thermal Shock is investigated using several simulation scales including Direct Numerical Simulation, Large Eddy Simulation, Very Large Eddy Simulation and RANS approaches. At the end a coupling of system code and CFD is applied. Condensation Induced Water-Hammer was also investigated at both CFD and 1-D scale. Boiling flow in a reactor core up to Departure from Nucleate Boiling or Dry-Out is investigated at scales much smaller than the classical sub-channel analysis codes. DNS was used to investigate very local processes whereas CFD in both RANS and LES was used to simulate bubbly flow and Euler-Lagrange simulations were used for annular mist flow investigations. Loss of Coolant Accidents are usually treated by system codes. Some related issues are now revisited at the CFD scale. In each case the progress of the analysis is summarized and the benefit of the multi-scale approach is shown.