RESEARCH ARTICLE | APRIL 06 2020

Thermal hydraulics analysis of KLT-40S floating nuclear

power plant in rolling – Heaving and pitching – Heaving
motion at various sea state condition with RELAP5 – 3D
code 
I. Gusti Bagus Awienandra; Alexander Agung  ; Mondjo

AIP Conf. Proc. 2223, 030001 (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000828

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08 May 2024 18:28:23

 Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of KLT-40S Floating Nuclear
Power Plant in Rolling – Heaving and Pitching – Heaving
Motion at Various Sea State Condition with RELAP5 – 3D
Code
I Gusti Bagus Awienandra1, a), Alexander Agung1, b) and Mondjo1, c)
1
Nuclear Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, Faculty of
Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
a)
gusti.bagus.a@mail.ugm.ac.id
b)
Corresponding author: a_agung@ugm.ac.id
c)
mondjo@ugm.ac.id

Abstract. KLT-40S has an advantage as a floating nuclear power plant with high mobility and portability because it can
be towed throughout the sea to the destination. The changes in the sea conditions when the nuclear reactor operates
should be accounted for the thermal-hydraulic analysis. The sea state condition and the reactor power were varied to

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know how the characteristics of the thermal-hydraulic parameters at various sea state conditions, especially the void
fraction. RELAP5-3D was used to analyze the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of the floating nuclear power plant in
two different types of reactor motion with nine sea state conditions. The KLT-40S reactor core model includes peak
channel, average channel, and bypass channel is developed in RELAP5-3D code. The result of the analysis shows that
the effect of reactor motion is higher in the pitching – heaving motion than the rolling – heaving motion. In extreme sea
state condition of the pitching – heaving motion, the void formation is started from 70% of reactor power. The highest
void fraction observed in this condition with 110% of reactor power is 5.858 %. Otherwise, in extreme sea state condition
of the rolling – heaving motion, the void formation is started from 100% of reactor power. The highest void fraction
observed in this condition with 110% of reactor power is 0.07%.

INTRODUCTION

The KLT-40S nuclear reactor is the First of a Kind (FOAK) floating nuclear power plant with 150 MW thermal
power. This reactor is installed by (OKBM) with a total of two reactors inside the floating craft. The KLT-40S is a
floating nuclear power plant without propulsion [1]. The nuclear reactor is installed in a floating craft called
“Akademik Lomonosov” and will be pulled out to the power plant site using tugboats. Usage of a floating nuclear
power plant without propulsion makes it difficult for maneuvering the floating nuclear power plant if there is a rapid
change of sea state condition. The motion of the Akademik Lomonosov floating craft due to ocean waves will
follow a six degrees of freedom (6DOF) motion system and can be seen in Fig.1(a).
In the 6DOF motion system, there is a surge, sway, yaw, pitch, roll and heave motions. In this study, two
different coupled motions were used as the motion of the floating craft and the reactor, i.e. rolling – heaving and
pitching heaving motion. These coupled motions were selected due to the incoming wave direction [2]. The
incoming wave direction profile could be seen in Fig.1(b). The coupled motion would have the same motion period
in a single sea state condition. The motion of the reactor inside of the floating craft was modeled as a sinusoidal
wave. The correlation between the reactor motion inside the floating craft in various sea state conditions and the
changes in thermal hydraulics parameters were observed to determine their effects on nuclear reactor dynamics. The
motion of the floating craft due to ocean waves will affects the thermal-hydraulics parameters of the nuclear reactor
installed inside. Some parameters that change according to the previous study are a void fraction of the coolant, the

International Energy Conference ASTECHNOVA 2019

AIP Conf. Proc. 2223, 030001-1–030001-10; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000828
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1982-7/$30.00

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mass flow rate of the coolant, operating pressure, fuel temperature, and coolant temperature [3]. Specifically, the
void formation will give negative reactivity feedback to neutron balance in the reactor core. In this study to
investigate the thermal-hydraulics behavior of the KLT-40S nuclear reactor due to ocean waves, the RELAP5-3D
code with moving system function enabled is used [4]. The model of the KLT-40S thermal hydraulics system used
in this study is built by the previous researcher with the validation of the model can be seen in Table 1.

(a) (b)

FIGURE 1. Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) Motion System and Wave Direction Profile [2]
TABLE 1. Validation of the Thermal Hydraulics Model in RELAP5-3D (4)
Operation Parameter Simulation References Error
Reactor outlet temperature (K) 588.645 589.15 0.086%
Reactor Mass Flow (kg/s) 761.0 761.0 5.26x10-6%

OVERVIEW OF KLT-40S INSIDE THE AKADEMIK LOMONOSOV FLOATING

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CRAFT
The KLT-40S is pressurized water typed reactor with the output of electric power is 35 MW electric and will be
deployed in Pevek, Chukotka, Russia in late 2019. During the reactor development, the reactor design is developed
using the design of previous Russian floating nuclear reactors inside their icebreakers. The previous design was
using 30% until 40% enrichment of uranium to produce electricity [5]. The modern KLT-40S uses 14.1%
enrichment of uranium and has 28 months of the fuel cycle. The design of the primary coolant cycle still uses non-
integral design, in which the core and the steam generator are separated. The reactor is built and manufactured with
12 years of fuel supply inside the floating craft. After, 12 years of operation on the power plant site, the floating
nuclear power plant will be sent back to the manufacturing facility to resupply the fuel. Between the 12 years of
operation, the reactor will be refueled without reshuffling the fuel inside the reactor core. The power utilities are
built on the ground, this approach minimizes the needs of land acquisition for nuclear power plant building and also
minimize the cost to build the nuclear power plant [6]. The general specification of the KLT-40S is shown in Table
2.
TABLE 2. General Specification of KLT-40S Floating Nuclear Power Plant [6]
Operation Parameter Value
Thermal Power (MWth) 150
Enrichment (%) 14.1
Fuel Cycle (month) 28
Number of Assemblies 121
Core Diameter (mm) 1220
Core Height (mm) 1200
Fuel Type UO2 with Silumin Alloy
Inlet Temperature (C) 280
Outlet Temperature (C) 316

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 The Akademik Lomonosov floating craft has a length of 140 meters and a width of 30 meters. The floating craft
draught is about 5.6-meter depth with 21000 tonnes of displacement and could be seen in Fig.2(a) and Fig.2(b). The
reactor core with a steam generator and the coolant pump are installed inside one containment of the floating craft.
The operation pressure of the primary coolant is 12.7 MPa, with an inlet temperature of the coolant to the core is 553
K and the outlet is 589 K. The other components, such as the turbine and generator facilities are installed inside
separate containment with the reactor core. The floating craft itself has a lifetime of usage 40 years [5].

(a) (b)
FIGURE 2. Specification of “Akademik Lomonosov” Floating Craft Unit [3]

METHODOLOGY

In this study, the floating craft’s motion was be simulated in 8 (eight) sea state conditions and 1 (one) extreme
sea state condition (sea state code 9) following classification of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Table 3 shows the parameters of each sea state according to WMO [7]. We used two coupled motions pitching -

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heaving and rolling - heaving. This is based on the direction of the wave coming towards the ship when mooring,
which is used head sea and beam sea directions. The floating craft motion was analyzed using a panel method and
the period was taken from previous works [8, 9]. These results are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 [6]. Some
supporting elements of the floating craft stability such as mooring and wave retaining were ignored in this modeling
due to a limitation in the calculation code and software that was used in this study. The results of the motion
analysis of floating craft in various sea conditions were then used as the KLT-40S motion input in RELAP5-3D
code.
TABLE 3. World Meteorological Organization Sea State Condition based on Northern Hemisphere Sea Condition [7]
Sea State Significant Wave Height (m) Modal Period (s) Probability (%)
0 0 - -
1 0 – 0.1 - -
2 0.1 – 0.5 7 5.7
3 0.5 – 1.25 8 19.7
4 1.25 – 2.5 9 28.3
5 2.5 – 4 10 19.5
6 4–6 12 17.5
7 6–9 14 7.6
8 9 – 14 17 1.7
9 Over 14 20 0.1

The RELAP5-3D model of the KLT-40S nuclear reactor was modeled only at the reactor pressure vessel and its
nodalization can be seen in Fig. 3. The mass flow rate and the coolant pressure in the inlet were used as the control
variable and set as the same as the value in the figure. The thermal-hydraulics parameters were examined in three
different flow channels, the average channel, the peak channel, and the bypass channel. The void fraction of the
coolant, the mass flow rate of the coolant, coolant pressure, and coolant density were examined in various sea state
conditions and reactor power conditions.

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 TABLE 4. Floating Craft Motion Parameter in Pitching – Heaving Motion [6]
Pitching Heave Period (s)
Sea State Pitching Degree Heave (m)
Period (s)
0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
2 0.0275 1.2 0.0367 1.2
3 0.694 0.6 0.242 0.6
4 2.121 6 0.704 6
5 5.98 6 3.384 6
6 5.524 6 5.830 6
7 6.605 6 7.170 6
8 7.410 6 9.168 6
9 9.161 6 14.141 6
TABLE 5. Floating Craft Motion Parameter in Rolling – Heaving Motion [6]
Rolling Heave Period (s)
Sea State Rolling Degree Heave (m)
Period (s)
0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
2 0.251 8 0.202 8
3 0.556 8.910 0.296 8.910
4 5.684 9.425 0.866 9.425
5 7.693 10.431 2.904 10.431
6 20.440 11.150 5.132 11.150
7 14.901 11.299 6.030 11.299

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8 11.253 11.406 8.144 11.406
9 11.684 11.107 13.164 11.107

In the thermal-hydraulics model of KLT-40S in RELAP5-3D, the inertia coordinate requires four inputs of data
to determine the model deviation. The position of the pressure vessel is relative with the center coordinate of the
floating craft rotational axes and describe by deviation in x, y and z axes. The calculation of the pressure vessel
position coordinate had been conducted by a previous researcher (3). Based on the calculation results, the deviation
value of component number 125 (bottom of the reactor pressure vessel) with respect to each of the reference
coordinate axes is displayed in Table 6. The deviation itself would determine the effect of the floating craft motion
on the reactor motion in this model.
TABLE 6. Coordinate Deviation Value of Thermal-Hydraulics Model inside the Floating Craft [3]
Hydraulic Component Coordinate Deviation Value
Number Name Type x y z
125 Low Head Branch 5,0 4,25 -0,4333

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 FIGURE 3. Nodalization of the KLT-40S in RELAP5-3D

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The results show that the formations of voids in the coolant occurs only in the peak channel of the model and
does not occur in the average and bypass channel. This phenomenon is examined starting from the second sea state

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condition of the rolling – heaving motion and the third sea state condition of the pitching – heaving motion. The
average void fraction inside all the channels is calculated to determine the reactor's total void fraction. The total void
fraction inside the core in various sea state conditions when the pitching – heaving motion is occurring can be seen
in Fig.4. In this floating craft motion, higher sea state conditions make more voids formations in the reactor coolant.
The rolling – heaving motion result could be seen in Fig.5. This motion also has the same characteristics of void
formation due to sea state condition, but the amplitude of the formation is lower than the pitching – heaving motion.

FIGURE 4. Void Formation Inside the KLT-40S Reactor Core in Pitching – Heaving Motion at Various Sea State Condition

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 FIGURE 5. Void Formation Inside the KLT-40S Reactor Core in Rolling – Heaving Motion at Various Sea State Condition

Figure 6 and Fig. 7 show the characteristics of four different thermal-hydraulics parameter amplitude in pitching
– heaving motion at various sea state conditions. These characteristics were observed in 100% reactor power
condition. As can be seen, the void fraction is increasing, but if we see it furthermore there is value decreasing from
sea state conditions 3 to 4. It occurs due to the small value of the motion period that been got from the reference.
According to Suhartono’s work the lower motion period of the floating craft, increase the possibility of void
formation in the reactor core. The void itself is formed by the oscillation of the other thermal-hydraulics parameter

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(3). The value of pressure amplitude also decrease rapidly from sea state condition 2 to 3 but increase again from sea
state condition 3 to 4. The value of mass flow amplitude increase from sea state condition 2 to 3, it can be concluded
that the lower period of the floating craft motion gives a significant effect on the mass flow oscillation. The density
of reactor coolant is still stable between sea state conditions 0 to 4, but it is increasing between sea state conditions 5
to 9.

FIGURE 6. The Characteristics of Void Fraction and Pressure Parameter in Pitching – Heaving Motion at Various Sea State
Conditions

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 FIGURE 7. The Characteristics of Coolant Density and Mass Flow Parameter in Pitching – Heaving Motion at Various Sea
State Conditions

Figure 8 and Fig. 9 show the characteristics of four different thermal-hydraulics parameter amplitudes in rolling
– heaving motion at various sea state conditions. As we can be seen that if we compare the four-parameter
amplitudes between the pitching – heaving and the rolling – heaving motions, all parameters in rolling – heaving
conditions are not affected by the motion of the floating craft. The amplitude of the mass flow parameter is the only
one that increases according to sea state conditions. According to Xi et al, the difference between two motions are

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caused by a different additional pressure drop [10].

FIGURE 8. The Characteristics of Void Fraction and Pressure Parameter in Rolling – Heaving Motion at Various Sea State
Conditions

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 FIGURE 9. The Characteristics of Coolant Density and Mass Flow Parameter in Rolling – Heaving Motion at Various Sea
State Conditions

In the extreme sea state condition with the pitching – heaving motion of floating craft, the void formation is
started from 70% of reactor power. The highest void fraction could be observed in Fig.10 with 110% of reactor
power is 5.858 %. Reactivity coefficient of the void in the reactor is about -150 pcm/%void. It means that in the
highest reactor power achieve in the extreme sea state condition with pitching – heaving motion, the negative
feedback of the reactivity may reach 878 pcm, which is more than 1 dollar of reactivity. The other parameter

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characteristics such as pressure, mass flow, and the coolant density also experience the oscillation as it can be seen
in Fig. 10 and 11. The oscillation of the mass flow parameter forms a period-doubling phenomenon because of the
difference in additional pressure drop [11, 12].

FIGURE 10. The Characteristics of Void Fraction and Pressure Parameter in Pitching – Heaving Motion at 110% of Reactor
Power

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 FIGURE 11. The Characteristics of Coolant Density and Mass Flow Parameter in Pitching – Heaving Motion at 110% of
Reactor Power

In the extreme sea state conditions with the rolling – heaving motion of floating craft the void formation is
started from 100% of reactor power. The highest void fraction observed in this condition with 110% of reactor
power is 0.074%. The negative feedback of the reactivity in this motion is about 10.5 pcm, and this value is much
lower than the negative reactivity feedback value of the pitching – heaving motion. The other parameter

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characteristics such as pressure, mass flow, and the coolant density are shown in Fig. 12 and 13. If we compare the
result of analysis in rolling – heaving motion with the result of analysis in pitching – heaving motion, the result of
analysis in rolling – heaving motion experience less oscillation and the value of the parameters are more stable.

FIGURE 12. The Characteristics of Void Fraction and Pressure Parameter in Rolling – Heaving Motion at 110% of Reactor
Power

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 FIGURE 13. The Characteristics of Coolant Density and Mass Flow Parameter in Rolling – Heaving Motion at 110% of
Reactor Power

CONCLUSIONS

The KLT-40S floating craft position toward the waves affect the changes of thermal-hydraulics parameters.
Parameters like the coolant density, coolant pressure, mass flow rate and void fraction are more stable in the beam
sea wave direction (rolling – heaving motion analysis) as compared to the head sea wave direction (pitching –
heaving motion analysis). The lower period of motion causes larger thermal-hydraulic parameter oscillation. The

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highest void fraction amplitude in rolling – heaving motion is observed at 0.07%. The highest void fraction
amplitude recorded in this research is 5.858% and occurred in pitching – heaving motion at 110% reactor power
condition.

REFERENCES

1. OKBM Afrikantov, KLT40S [Update 19.04.2013] Report (2013).

2. L. Ding, M.Sc. thesis, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, 2016.
3. T. Suhartono, B.Eng. thesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 2018.
4. A. Kristanto, B.Eng. thesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 2017.
5. D. F. Fajri, B.Eng. thesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 2017.
6. I. G. B. Awienandra, B.Eng. thesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 2019.
7. A. W. Doerry, SANDIA Report SAND2008-1020 (2008).
8. J. Mar, C.-C. Liu and M. Basnet, Int. J. Antenn. Propag. 2015 (2015).
9. Interface Standard for Shipboard Systems Ship Motion and Attitude (Metric), Department of Defense Standard
(Department of Defense, Washington D.C, United States, 1986).
10. M. Xi, Y. Wu, W, Tian, G. H. Su and S. Qiu, Prog. Nucl. Energy, 85, 573 – 587 (2015),
11. G. Yun, Q. Sui-zheng, S. Guang-hui, Z. You-jia, and J. Dounan, Nuclear Power Engineering. 28(6), 58 – 61
(2007)
12. C. Chen, P. Gao, S. Tan, D. Huang, and Z. Yu, Ann. Nucl. Energy. 83, 125 – 136 (2015)

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