GASFLOW Validation with Panda Tests from the OECD SETH Benchmark Covering Steam/Air and Steam/Helium/Air Mixtures

Abstract

The CFD code GASFLOW solves the time-dependent compressible Navier-Stokes Equations with multiple gas species. GASFLOW was developed for nonnuclear and nuclear applications. The major nuclear applications of GASFLOW are 3D analyses of steam/hydrogen distributions in complex PWR containment buildings to simulate scenarios of beyond design basis accidents. Validation of GASFLOW has been a continuously ongoing process together with the development of this code. This contribution reports the results from the open posttest GASFLOW calculations that have been performed for new experiments from the OECD SETH Benchmark. Discussed are the steam distribution tests 9 and 9bis, 21 and 21bis involving comparable sequences with and without steam condensation and the last SETH test 25 with steam/helium release and condensation. The latter one involves lighter gas mixture sources like they can result in real accidents. The helium is taken as simulant for hydrogen.