Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000®reactor control rod ejection accident

Vefa N. Kucukboyaci; Brendan Kochunas; Thomas J. Downar; Aaron Wysocki; Robert K. Salko

Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident

Vefa N. Kucukboyaci, Brendan Kochunas, Thomas J. Downar, Aaron Wysocki, Robert K. Salko

Advanced Reactor Systems

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Control rod ejection events were simulated for the AP1000 reactor core at the end of cycle hot zero and hot full power conditions using the VERA-CS code system. The core was first depleted to end of Cycle 1 and then calculations were restarted to simulate the rod ejection events in full core geometry. These simulations were performed using MPACT standalone with its simplified thermal-hydraulics capability and also MPACT coupled to CTF within VERA-CS. Results from both sets of calculations were compared to identify the differences between MPACT standalone and VERA-CS. It was found that the VERA-CS code system was capable of simulating full core geometry rod ejection events in a stable manner with the expected power pulse resulting from a superprompt critical reactivity insertion and the resulting negative Doppler reactivity feedback. With high-fidelity simulation capabilities, VERA-CS is positioned to support the industry on reactivity initiated accidents, and to assist in recovering lost margin as well as to address data gaps.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018
Subtitle of host publication	Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems
Publisher	Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C.
Pages	335-348
Number of pages	14
ISBN (Electronic)	9781713808510
State	Published - 2018
Event	2018 International Conference on Physics of Reactors: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, PHYSOR 2018 - Cancun, Mexico Duration: Apr 22 2018 → Apr 26 2018

Publication series

Name	International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems
Volume	Part F168384-1

Conference

Conference	2018 International Conference on Physics of Reactors: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, PHYSOR 2018
Country/Territory	Mexico
City	Cancun
Period	04/22/18 → 04/26/18

Funding

This research also made use of the resources of the High Performance Computing Center at Idaho National Laboratory, which is supported by the Office of Nuclear Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Science User Facilities under Contract No. DE-AC07-051D14517.

Keywords

AP1000
CTF
MPACT
REA
Ria
Transient

Cite this

Kucukboyaci, V. N., Kochunas, B., Downar, T. J., Wysocki, A., & Salko, R. K. (2018). Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident. In International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems (pp. 335-348). (International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems; Vol. Part F168384-1). Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C..

Kucukboyaci, Vefa N. ; Kochunas, Brendan ; Downar, Thomas J. et al. / Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident. International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems. Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C., 2018. pp. 335-348 (International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems).

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title = "Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000{\textregistered}reactor control rod ejection accident",

abstract = "Control rod ejection events were simulated for the AP1000 reactor core at the end of cycle hot zero and hot full power conditions using the VERA-CS code system. The core was first depleted to end of Cycle 1 and then calculations were restarted to simulate the rod ejection events in full core geometry. These simulations were performed using MPACT standalone with its simplified thermal-hydraulics capability and also MPACT coupled to CTF within VERA-CS. Results from both sets of calculations were compared to identify the differences between MPACT standalone and VERA-CS. It was found that the VERA-CS code system was capable of simulating full core geometry rod ejection events in a stable manner with the expected power pulse resulting from a superprompt critical reactivity insertion and the resulting negative Doppler reactivity feedback. With high-fidelity simulation capabilities, VERA-CS is positioned to support the industry on reactivity initiated accidents, and to assist in recovering lost margin as well as to address data gaps.",

keywords = "AP1000, CTF, MPACT, REA, Ria, Transient",

author = "Kucukboyaci, {Vefa N.} and Brendan Kochunas and Downar, {Thomas J.} and Aaron Wysocki and Salko, {Robert K.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 PHYSOR 2018. All rights reserved.; 2018 International Conference on Physics of Reactors: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, PHYSOR 2018 ; Conference date: 22-04-2018 Through 26-04-2018",

year = "2018",

language = "English",

series = "International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems",

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Kucukboyaci, VN, Kochunas, B, Downar, TJ, Wysocki, A & Salko, RK 2018, Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident. in International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems. International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, vol. Part F168384-1, Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C., pp. 335-348, 2018 International Conference on Physics of Reactors: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, PHYSOR 2018, Cancun, Mexico, 04/22/18.

Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident. / Kucukboyaci, Vefa N.; Kochunas, Brendan; Downar, Thomas J. et al.
International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems. Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C., 2018. p. 335-348 (International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems; Vol. Part F168384-1).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AU - Wysocki, Aaron

AU - Salko, Robert K.

PY - 2018

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N2 - Control rod ejection events were simulated for the AP1000 reactor core at the end of cycle hot zero and hot full power conditions using the VERA-CS code system. The core was first depleted to end of Cycle 1 and then calculations were restarted to simulate the rod ejection events in full core geometry. These simulations were performed using MPACT standalone with its simplified thermal-hydraulics capability and also MPACT coupled to CTF within VERA-CS. Results from both sets of calculations were compared to identify the differences between MPACT standalone and VERA-CS. It was found that the VERA-CS code system was capable of simulating full core geometry rod ejection events in a stable manner with the expected power pulse resulting from a superprompt critical reactivity insertion and the resulting negative Doppler reactivity feedback. With high-fidelity simulation capabilities, VERA-CS is positioned to support the industry on reactivity initiated accidents, and to assist in recovering lost margin as well as to address data gaps.

AB - Control rod ejection events were simulated for the AP1000 reactor core at the end of cycle hot zero and hot full power conditions using the VERA-CS code system. The core was first depleted to end of Cycle 1 and then calculations were restarted to simulate the rod ejection events in full core geometry. These simulations were performed using MPACT standalone with its simplified thermal-hydraulics capability and also MPACT coupled to CTF within VERA-CS. Results from both sets of calculations were compared to identify the differences between MPACT standalone and VERA-CS. It was found that the VERA-CS code system was capable of simulating full core geometry rod ejection events in a stable manner with the expected power pulse resulting from a superprompt critical reactivity insertion and the resulting negative Doppler reactivity feedback. With high-fidelity simulation capabilities, VERA-CS is positioned to support the industry on reactivity initiated accidents, and to assist in recovering lost margin as well as to address data gaps.

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T3 - International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems

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BT - International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018

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Y2 - 22 April 2018 through 26 April 2018

ER -

Kucukboyaci VN, Kochunas B, Downar TJ, Wysocki A , Salko RK. Evaluation of VERA-CS transient capability for analyzing the AP1000^®reactor control rod ejection accident. In International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems. Sociedad Nuclear Mexicana, A.C. 2018. p. 335-348. (International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems).