Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis for SPERT III E-core reactivity measurement benchmarking

Price, Dean R.; Mirly, Finn; DeHart, Mark D.

doi:10.1016/j.net.2025.103792

Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis for SPERT III E-core reactivity measurement benchmarking

Journal Article · Wed Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nuclear Engineering and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2025.103792· OSTI ID:3013742

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Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

The Special Power Excursion Reactor Test (SPERT) III E-core experiment is important because it provides critical data on reactor behavior under significant reactivity insertions, which is essential for validating computer simulations and ensuring the safety of modern light water reactors. Its design similarities to contemporary reactors make it a valuable resource for understanding and mitigating extreme hazards in nuclear operations. The current study details the application of formal parametric uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis to a model of the SPERT-III E-core model for zero power reactivity benchmarking. Additionally, the reactivity impact from various modeling assumptions is quantified. Overall, an conservative estimate for an uncertainty in k$$_{\text{eff}}$$ of $$\pm$$1257 was observed. A less conservative, more realistic, uncertainty estimate of $$\pm$$1096 pcm can be justified by the potential for various parametric uncertainties to become negligible when sampled independently across the ~1400 pins in the core. The experimental results fall within both of these uncertainty bounds. Standardized regression coefficient as well as Sobol indices are used to identify the guide tube thicknesses as the primary contributors to the uncertainty in k$$_{\text{eff}}$$. Overall, this study provides information on how the uncertainties in input parameters and modeling methods impact simulated k$$_{\text{eff}}$$ values and can be used to aid model building efforts for future code validation with the SPERT-III E-core experiment.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 3013742

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--25-83636

Journal Information:: Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Engineering and Technology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 57; ISSN 1738-5733

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis for SPERT III E-core reactivity measurement benchmarking

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