Predicting actual reactor conditions: why time-domain simulation is necessary for BWR stability
by Tomasz Kozlowski; Joanna Peltonen; Ivan Gajev; Viet-Anh Phung; Sean Roshan
International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST), Vol. 7, No. 4, 2013

Abstract: Despite two decades of development and successful use of coupled thermal-hydraulics/neutron-kinetics (TH/NK) codes for the analysis of design basis accidents, the application of coupled codes to BWR stability transients remains a formidable challenge. While the issues in physical models and numerical methods can be identified, quantified and managed through special developments and separate-effect tests, other aspects (e.g. coupling, modelling assumptions) can only be addressed through benchmarking on full plant stability tests. However, often incomplete information causes uncertainties, whose significance on the modelling and simulation must be evaluated. The objective of this paper is to define validation data needs that allow prediction of the transient behaviour should an unstable condition occur. It is shown that the confidence in exploiting advantageous features of the coupled TH/NK system codes in dealing with core-plant interaction, transient effects and local perturbations can only be evaluated with well-characterised, well-documented plant stability tests and stability events.

Online publication date: Tue, 30-Sep-2014

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