Surian Pinem

The Verification of Coupled Neutronics Thermal-Hydraulics Code NODAL3 in the PWR Rod Ejection Benchmark

A coupled neutronics thermal-hydraulics code NODAL3 has been developed based on the few-group neutron diffusion equation in 3-dimensional geometry for typical PWR static and transient analyses. The spatial variables are treated by using a polynomial nodal method while for the neutron dynamic solver the adiabatic and improved quasistatic methods are adopted. In this paper we report the benchmark calculation results of the code against the OECD/NEA CRP PWR rod ejection cases. The objective of this work is to determine the accuracy of NODAL3 code in analysing the reactivity initiated accident due to the control rod ejection. The NEACRP PWR rod ejection cases are chosen since many organizations participated in the NEA project using various methods as well as approximations, so that, in addition to the reference solutions, the calculation results of NODAL3 code can also be compared to other codes’ results. The transient parameters to be verified are time of power peak, power peak, final power, final average Doppler temperature, maximum fuel temperature, and final coolant temperature. The results of NODAL3 code agree well with the PHANTHER reference solutions in 1993 and 1997 (revised). Comparison with other validated codes, DYN3D/R and ANCK, shows also a satisfactory agreement.

NODAL3 Sensitivity Analysis for NEACRP 3D LWR Core Transient Benchmark (PWR)

This paper reports the results of sensitivity analysis of the multidimension, multigroup neutron diffusion NODAL3 code for the NEACRP 3D LWR core transient benchmarks (PWR). The code input parameters covered in the sensitivity analysis are the radial and axial node sizes (the number of radial node per fuel assembly and the number of axial layers), heat conduction node size in the fuel pellet and cladding, and the maximum time step. The output parameters considered in this analysis followed the above-mentioned core transient benchmarks, that is, power peak, time of power peak, power, averaged Doppler temperature, maximum fuel centerline temperature, and coolant outlet temperature at the end of simulation (5 s). The sensitivity analysis results showed that the radial node size and maximum time step give a significant effect on the transient parameters, especially the time of power peak, for the HZP and HFP conditions. The number of ring divisions for fuel pellet and cladding gives negligible effect on the transient solutions. For productive work of the PWR transient analysis, based on the present sensitivity analysis results, we recommend NODAL3 users to use radial nodes per assembly, axial layers per assembly, the maximum time step of 10 ms, and 9 and 1 ring divisions for fuel pellet and cladding, respectively.

Reactivity Coefficient Calculation for AP1000 Reactor Using the NODAL3 Code

Abstract The reactivity coefficient is a very important parameter for inherent safety and stability of nuclear reactors operation. To provide the safety analysis of the reactor, the calculation of changes in reactivity caused by temperature is necessary because it is related to the reactor operation. In this paper, the temperature reactivity coefficients of fuel and moderator of the AP1000 core are calculated, as well as the moderator density and boron concentration. All of these coefficients are calculated at the hot full power condition (HFP). All neutron diffusion constant as a function of temperature, water density and boron concentration were generated by the SRAC2006 code. The core calculations for determination of the reactivity coefficient parameter are done by using NODAL3 code. The calculation results show that the fuel temperature, moderator temperature and boron reactivity coefficients are in the range between -2.613 pcm/°C to -4.657pcm/°C, -1.00518 pcm/°C to 1.00649 pcm/°C and -9.11361 pcm/ppm to -8.0751 pcm/ppm, respectively. For the water density reactivity coefficients, the positive reactivity occurs at the water temperature less than 190 °C. The calculation results show that the reactivity coefficients are accurate because the results have a very good agreement with the design value.

Analysis of NEA-NSC PWR Uncontrolled Control Rod Withdrawal at Zero Power Benchmark Cases with NODAL3 Code

The in-house coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic (N/T-H) code of BATAN (National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia), NODAL3, based on the few-group neutron diffusion equation in 3-dimensional geometry using the polynomial nodal method, has been verified with static and transient PWR benchmark cases. This paper reports the verification of NODAL3 code in the NEA-NSC PWR uncontrolled control rods withdrawal at zero power benchmark. The objective of this paper is to determine the accuracy of NODAL3 code in solving the continuously slow and fast reactivity insertions due to single and group of control rod bank withdrawn while the power and temperature increment are limited by the Doppler coefficient. The benchmark is chosen since many organizations participated using various methods and approximations, so the calculation results of NODAL3 can be compared to other codes’ results. The calculated parameters are performed for the steady-state, transient core averaged, and transient hot pellet results. The influence of radial and axial nodes number was investigated for all cases. The results of NODAL3 code are in very good agreement with the reference solutions if the radial and axial nodes number is 2 × 2 and 2 × 18 (total axial layers), respectively.