Simplified two and three dimensional HTTR benchmark problems

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Annals of Nuclear Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2010.11.020· OSTI ID:1022746

Zhang, Zhan; Zhang, Dingkang; Pounders, Justin M; Ougouag, Abderrafi M

To assess the accuracy of diffusion or transport methods for reactor calculations, it is desirable to create heterogeneous benchmark problems that are typical of whole core configurations. In this paper we have created two and three dimensional numerical benchmark problems typical of high temperature gas cooled prismatic cores. Additionally, a single cell and single block benchmark problems are also included. These problems were derived from the HTTR start-up experiment. Since the primary utility of the benchmark problems is in code-to-code verification, minor details regarding geometry and material specification of the original experiment have been simplified while retaining the heterogeneity and the major physics properties of the core from a neutronics viewpoint. A six-group material (macroscopic) cross section library has been generated for the benchmark problems using the lattice depletion code HELIOS. Using this library, Monte Carlo solutions are presented for three configurations (all-rods-in, partially-controlled and all-rods-out) for both the 2D and 3D problems. These solutions include the core eigenvalues, the block (assembly) averaged fission densities, local peaking factors, the absorption densities in the burnable poison and control rods, and pin fission density distribution for selected blocks. Also included are the solutions for the single cell and single block problems.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1022746
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-11-22982; TRN: US1104356
• Journal Information: Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 38, Issue 5; ISSN 0306-4549
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ABSORPTION
ACCURACY
BENCHMARKS
BURNABLE POISONS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CROSS SECTIONS
DIFFUSION
DISTRIBUTION
EIGENVALUES
FISSION
GEOMETRY
PHYSICS
SPECIFICATIONS
START-UP
TRANSPORT
VERIFICATION
heterogeneous benchmark
hexagonal geometry
HTTR
VHTR
whole-core 2D and 3D benchmark problem