Abstract
The design parameter of the heat loss for the pressurized water reactor has been studied. The heat loss from the reactor vessel through the air gap. insulation are analysed by using the computational fluid dynamics code, FLUENT. Parametric study has been performed on the air gap width between the reactor vessel wall and the inner surface of the insulation, and on the insulation thickness. Also evaluated is the performance degradation due to the chimney effect due to gaps left between the panels during the installation of the insulation system. From the analysis results, the optimal with of air gap and insulation thickness and the value of heat loss are obtained The results show how the heat loss varies with the air gap width and insulation thickness. The temperature and the velocity distributions are also presented. From the results of the evaluation. the optimal air gap width and the optimal insulation thickness are obtained. As the difference between the predicted heat loss and measured heat loss from the reactor vessel is construed Primarily as losses due to chimney effect. the contribution of the chimney effect to the total heat loss is quantitatively indicated.