Fractional scaling method applied to a pressurizer test facility

Local Scaling and Fractional Scaling Analysis (FSA) have been applied at the system level to surge flow transients in a pressurizer with the purpose of sizing a 1/100 volume scale test facility. It was shown that the relation between pressure and volume displacement rates is analogous to that of generalized “effort” and “flow” in interdisciplinary analysis of complex systems. At the component level, a relation between pressurizer liquid volume and the volume displacement rates is obtained. Properly scaled outsurge transients in a full scale pressurizer have identical pressure and liquid volume histories as compared to a properly designed 1/100 volume experimental facility. FSA allows the rank of the processes quantitatively and thereby objectively in the order of their importance. For the case in analysis, surge flow dominates all other volume displacement rates (the second in importance was due to the heater). The dominant agent of pressure change in the pressurizer is that due to maximum surge flow. For similarity, the same dominant agent of change is assumed for the experiment, which permits to define its surge flow. Likewise, the heating power of the experiment, necessary to control the specified out-surge flow transient, is calculated assuming equality in the second largest agent of change, which is that due to heating.