The SIMCO containment code applied to modeling hydrogen distribution in containments of nuclear power facilities

The article gives a general description of the SIMCO calculation code designed to simulate thermohydraulic and physico-chemical processes in containments of nuclear power facilities. The authors present a calculation technique based on a physico-mathematical model in lumped parameters. As a numerical solution method, the modified semi-implicit SIMPLER procedure is used. The code was examined using analytical and qualitative tests. A comparison of the numerical and analytical solutions showed good agreement. The code was verified using the experimental data obtained at the NUPEC installation (Japan). Based on the results of testing and verification, it was concluded that, in general, physico-mathematical code models adequately describe the processes of heat/mass transfer in the containment. Therefore, this SIMCO code version can be used to analyze the totality of thermophysical and physico-chemical processes in nuclear power facilities with containments, including the transfer of hydrogen/steam/air mixtures.