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Title: Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of a Pebble Bed HTGR Loss of Cooling Event

Abstract

The Very High Temperature Reactor Methods Development group at the Idaho National Laboratory identified the need for a defensible and systematic uncertainty and sensitivity approach in 2009. This paper summarizes the results of an uncertainty and sensitivity quantification investigation performed with the SUSA code, utilizing the International Atomic Energy Agency CRP 5 Pebble Bed Modular Reactor benchmark and the INL code suite PEBBED-THERMIX. Eight model input parameters were selected for inclusion in this study, and after the input parameters variations and probability density functions were specified, a total of 800 steady state and depressurized loss of forced cooling (DLOFC) transient PEBBED-THERMIX calculations were performed. The six data sets were statistically analyzed to determine the 5% and 95% DLOFC peak fuel temperature tolerance intervals with 95% confidence levels. It was found that the uncertainties in the decay heat and graphite thermal conductivities were the most significant contributors to the propagated DLOFC peak fuel temperature uncertainty. No significant differences were observed between the results of Simple Random Sampling (SRS) or Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) data sets, and use of uniform or normal input parameter distributions also did not lead to any significant differences between these data sets.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Nuclear Science and Engineering Division, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), 2525 N. Fremont Avenue, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USA
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1198171
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC07-05ID1451
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations Journal Volume: 2013; Journal ID: ISSN 1687-6075
Publisher:
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Country of Publication:
Egypt
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Strydom, Gerhard. Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of a Pebble Bed HTGR Loss of Cooling Event. Egypt: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1155/2013/426356.
Strydom, Gerhard. Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of a Pebble Bed HTGR Loss of Cooling Event. Egypt. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/426356
Strydom, Gerhard. Tue . "Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of a Pebble Bed HTGR Loss of Cooling Event". Egypt. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/426356.
@article{osti_1198171,
title = {Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses of a Pebble Bed HTGR Loss of Cooling Event},
author = {Strydom, Gerhard},
abstractNote = {The Very High Temperature Reactor Methods Development group at the Idaho National Laboratory identified the need for a defensible and systematic uncertainty and sensitivity approach in 2009. This paper summarizes the results of an uncertainty and sensitivity quantification investigation performed with the SUSA code, utilizing the International Atomic Energy Agency CRP 5 Pebble Bed Modular Reactor benchmark and the INL code suite PEBBED-THERMIX. Eight model input parameters were selected for inclusion in this study, and after the input parameters variations and probability density functions were specified, a total of 800 steady state and depressurized loss of forced cooling (DLOFC) transient PEBBED-THERMIX calculations were performed. The six data sets were statistically analyzed to determine the 5% and 95% DLOFC peak fuel temperature tolerance intervals with 95% confidence levels. It was found that the uncertainties in the decay heat and graphite thermal conductivities were the most significant contributors to the propagated DLOFC peak fuel temperature uncertainty. No significant differences were observed between the results of Simple Random Sampling (SRS) or Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) data sets, and use of uniform or normal input parameter distributions also did not lead to any significant differences between these data sets.},
doi = {10.1155/2013/426356},
journal = {Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations},
number = ,
volume = 2013,
place = {Egypt},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/426356

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