Benchmark Calculations of Pressurizer Model for Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant Using TRACE Code

Pressurizer plays an important role in controlling the pressure of the primary coolant system in pressurized water reactor (PWR) power plants. An accurate modelling of the pressurizer is needed to determine the pressure histories of the primary coolant system, and thus to successfully simulate overall PWR power plant behavior during transients. The purpose of this study is to develop a pressurizer model, and to assess its pressure transients using the TRACE code version 5.0. The benchmark of the pressurizer model was performed by comparing the simulation results with those from the tests at the Maanshan nuclear power plant. Four start-up tests of the Maanshan nuclear power plant are collected and simulated: 1) turbine trip test from 100% power; 2) large-load reduction at 100% power; 3) net-load trip at 100% power; and 4) net-load trip at 50% power. The simulation results are in reasonable agreement with the start-up tests, and thus the pressurizer model built in this study is successfully verified and validated.