• RELAP5-3D
• Nuclear engineering
• Coupling

The nuclear energy production is object of studies and research from several years and great efforts are constantly made to demonstrate the feasibility of such complex technology. In the nuclear fusion research framework, the most advanced and largest experiment is the “International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor” ITER, whose most important goal is to produce net energy demonstrating the safety characteristics of fusion devices.
The heat power generated inside the ITER reactor is removed by means of a complex Cooling Water system, which safely transfers it to the environment. In order to sustain the R&D of the cooling system Thermal-Hydraulic analysis of the various components and their interaction is essential.
In this work the Thermal-Hydraulic analyses of transient scenarios are carried out by means of RELAP5-3D/Mod.3.3, a system thermal-hydraulic code used for both the nuclear and traditional power plant. The code allows to simulate different operation modes of the Cooling Water System, assessing the design of the system and obtaining important results for the operation and commissioning phase. Furthermore, a coupled RELAP5 – MATLAB analysis was performed to clarify relevant operating scenarios.