Bub Dong Chung

Development of a multi-dimensional thermal-hydraulic system code, MARS 1.3.1

Abstract A multi-dimensional thermal-hydraulic system code MARS has been developed by consolidating and restructuring the RELAP5/MOD3.2.1.2 and COBRA-TF codes. The two codes were adopted to take advantage of the very general, versatile features of RELAP5 and the realistic three-dimensional hydrodynamic module of COBRA-TF. In the course of code development, major features of each code were consolidated into a single code first. The resulting source programs were rewritten in standard fortran 90, and then were restructured using modular data structures based on “derived type variables” and a new “dynamic memory allocation” scheme. In addition, the Windows graphics features were implemented for user friendliness. This paper presents the developmental activities up to mars version 1.3.1 including the code consolidation, the code restructuring and modernization, and the results of the developmental assessment.

NUPEC BFBT SUBCHANNEL VOID DISTRIBUTION ANALYSIS USING THE MATRA AND MARS CODES

The subchannel grade void distributions in the NUPEC (Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation) BFBT (BWR Full-Size Fine-Mesh Bundle Tests) facility were evaluated with the subchannel analysis code MATRA and the system code MARS. Fifteen test series from five different test bundles were selected for an analysis of the steady-state subchannel void distributions. Two transient cases, a turbine trip without a bypass as a typical power transient and a re-circulation pump trip as a flow transient, were also chosen for this analysis. It was found that the steady-state void distributions calculated by both the MATRA and MARS codes coincided well with the measured data in the range of thermodynamic qualities from 5 % to 25 %. The results of the transient calculations were also similar and were highly feasible. However, the computational aspects of the two codes were clearly different.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL HYDRAULIC COMPONENT FOR THE BEST ESTIMATE SYSTEM ANALYSIS CODE MARS

A multi-dimensional component for the thermal-hydraulic system analysis code, MARS, was developed for a more realistic three-dimensional analysis of nuclear systems. A three-dimensional and two-fluid model for a two-phase flow in Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates was employed. The governing equations and physical constitutive relationships were extended from those of a one-dimensional version. The numerical solution method adopted a semi-implicit and finitedifference method based on a staggered-grid mesh and a donor-cell scheme. The relevant length scale was very coarse compared to commercial computational fluid dynamics tools. Thus a simple Prandtl’s mixing length turbulence model was applied to interpret the turbulent induced momentum and energy diffusivity. Non drag interfacial forces were not considered as in the general nuclear system codes. Several conceptual cases with analytic solutions were chosen and analyzed to assess the fundamental terms. RPI air-water and UPTF 7 tests were simulated and compared to the experimental data. The simulation results for the RPI air-water twophase flow experiment showed good agreement with the measured void fraction. The simulation results for the UPTF downcomer test 7 were compared to the experiment data and the results from other multi-dimensional system codes for the ECC delivery flow.

ANALYSIS OF UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION METHOD BY COMPARING MONTE-CARLO METHOD AND WILKS’ FORMULA

An analysis of the uncertainty quantification related to LBLOCA using the Monte-Carlo calculation has been performed and compared with the tolerance level determined by the Wilks’ formula. The uncertainty range and distribution of each input parameter associated with the LOCA phenomena were determined based on previous PIRT results and documentation during the BEMUSE project. Calulations were conducted on 3,500 cases within a 2-week CPU time on a 14-PC cluster system. The Monte-Carlo exercise shows that the 95% upper limit PCT value can be obtained well, with a 95% confidence level using the Wilks’ formula, although we have to endure a 5% risk of PCT under-prediction. The results also show that the statistical fluctuation of the limit value using Wilks’ first-order is as large as the uncertainty value itself. It is therefore desirable to increase the order of the Wilks’ formula to be higher than the second-order to estimate the reliable safety margin of the design features. It is also shown that, with its ever increasing computational capability, the Monte-Carlo method is accessible for a nuclear power plant safety analysis within a realistic time frame.

An assessment of uncertainty on a loft L2-5 lbloca pct based on the ACE-RSM APPROACH: Complementary work for the oecd bemuse phase-III program

As pointed out in the OECD BEMUSE Program, when a high computation time is taken to obtain the relevant output values of a complex physical model (or code), the number of statistical samples that must be evaluated through it is a critical factor for the sampling-based uncertainty analysis. Two alternative methods have been utilized to avoid the problem associated with the size of these statistical samples: one is based on Wilks’ formula, which is based on simple random sampling, and the other is based on the conventional nonlinear regression approach. While both approaches provide a useful means for drawing conclusions on the resultant uncertainty with a limited number of code runs, there are also some unique corresponding limitations. For example, a conclusion based on the Wilks’ formula can be highly affected by the sampled values themselves, while the conventional regression approach requires an a priori estimate on the functional forms of a regression model. The main objective of this paper is to assess the feasibility of the ACE-RSM approach as a complementary method to the Wilks’ formula and the conventional regression-based uncertainty analysis. This feasibility was assessed through a practical application of the ACE-RSM approach to the LOFT L2-5 LBLOCA PCT uncertainty analysis, which was implemented as a part of the OECD BEMUSE Phase III program.