Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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MC21/CTF and VERA multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark progression problems 6 and 7

  • Kelly, Daniel J. III (Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation) ;
  • Kelly, Ann E. (Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation) ;
  • Aviles, Brian N. (Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation) ;
  • Godfrey, Andrew T. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ;
  • Salko, Robert K. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ;
  • Collins, Benjamin S. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
  • Received : 2017.05.30
  • Accepted : 2017.07.11
  • Published : 2017.09.25
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Abstract

The continuous energy Monte Carlo neutron transport code, MC21, was coupled to the CTF subchannel thermal-hydraulics code using a combination of Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) tools and in-house Python scripts. An MC21/CTF solution for VERA Core Physics Benchmark Progression Problem 6 demonstrated good agreement with MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA solutions. The MC21/CTF solution for VERA Core Physics Benchmark Progression Problem 7, Watts Bar Unit 1 at beginning of cycle hot full power equilibrium xenon conditions, is the first published coupled Monte Carlo neutronics/subchannel T-H solution for this problem. MC21/CTF predicted a critical boron concentration of 854.5 ppm, yielding a critical eigenvalue of $0.99994{\pm}6.8E-6$ (95% confidence interval). Excellent agreement with a VERA solution of Problem 7 was also demonstrated for integral and local power and temperature parameters.

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References

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