A Comparison of Advanced Boiling Water Reactor Simulations between Serpent/CTF and Polaris/DYN3D: Steady State Operational Characteristics and Burnup Evolution

Abstract

High fidelity modelling for nuclear power plant analysis is becoming more common due to advances in modelling software and the availability of high-performance computers. However, to design, develop and regulate new light water nuclear reactors there are, up until now, limited requirements for high fidelity methods due to the already well-established computational methods already being widely accepted. This article explores the additional detail which can be obtained when using high fidelity methods through Monte Carlo/Sub-channel analysis compared to industrial methods of cross-section/nodal analysis using the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor as a case study. This case study was chosen due to the challenges in modelling two phase flow and the high levels of heterogeneity within the fuel assembly design. The article investigates how to implement such an approach, from a bottom-up procedure, by analysing each stage of the modelling process.

DYN3D and CTF Coupling within a Multiscale and Multiphysics Software Development (Part II)

“…Coupling is present in both nuclear technology and in nuclear software development, it describes the interdependence, coordination, or information flow either between components within a nuclear reactor [6,7] or between physical and mathematical models or code structure within a nuclear code [8][9][10]. In nuclear technology development the components, such as reactor cores, pressurizers, steam generators, turbines, and condensers are drafted, assembled, safety proven, and operate together.…”

DYN3D and CTF Coupling within a Multiscale and Multiphysics Software Development (Part I)

“…The coupling between any two of the mentioned codes [57,58] within the Multiscale and Multiphysics Software Development involves several steps such as simulations using the first code, the transfer of data from the first code to the second code, simulations using the second code, and finally the transfer of data from the second code to the first code. Each of these coupling steps conform to an inner iteration while all coupling steps conform to an outer iteration with outer iterations being run on a cyclic basis until some convergence criterion is verified, which usually consists of a comparison between the current and the previous outer iterations.…”