Recent development and validation of thermal-hydraulic simulation codes for steam generators based on porous media approach

A steam generator functions as a heat exchanger within nuclear power facilities, transferring heat from the primary coolant to the secondary coolant, which then produces steam using thermal energy from the reactor core. When designing steam generators, it is crucial to assess the vibrations of tube bundles caused by the gas-liquid two-phase flow occurring outside the heat transfer tubes. Numerous 3-D thermal-hydraulic codes have been developed and validated over the years. This paper offers a thorough review of recent 3-D thermal-hydraulic codes for steam generators, focusing on publications from 2014 to 2023. It summarizes the constitutive equations related to heat transfer and flow resistance included in these recent codes, providing an overview of the latest understanding of gas-liquid two-phase flow. Furthermore, the paper analyzes and presents experimental data used for code validation, along with the validation results of these recent codes. • Seven recent thermal-hydraulic codes for steam generators are featured. • Constitutive equations for heat transfer and flow resistance have been summarized. • Experimental data for the validation of thermal-hydraulic codes are overviewed. • The validation results of the recent thermal-hydraulic codes have been summarized.