A Large Interface Model for two-phase CFD

In the context of the Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) studies related to PWR life extension, a two-phase CFD (Eulerian two-field 3D transient) approach has been developed and validated during the last decade. The PTS CFD involves interfaces between liquid and vapour which are generally much larger than the computational cells size: the large interfaces. Special models to deal with them were developed and implemented in the NEPTUNE_CFD code: it is the Large Interface Model (LIM). It includes large interface recognition, interfacial transfer of momentum (friction), heat and mass transfer with direct contact condensation. The LIM takes into account large interfaces which can be smooth, wavy or rough. The models are written within a three-cell stencil around the large interface position. This stencil is used to calculate, on both the liquid and gas sides, the distance from the first computational cell to the large interface. Both distances are used in the models written in a wall law-like format. Some assumptions made to write the LIM were deduced from the picture given by the experimental data base which was defined for the CFD validation in the context of the PTS issue. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.