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Title: Preliminary Benchmark Evaluation of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor

Abstract

A benchmark model of the initial fully-loaded start-up core critical of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) was developed to provide data in support of ongoing validation efforts of the Very High Temperature Reactor Program using publicly available resources. The HTTR is a 30 MWt test reactor utilizing graphite moderation, helium coolant, and prismatic TRISO fuel. The benchmark was modeled using MCNP5 with various neutron cross-section libraries. An uncertainty evaluation was performed by perturbing the benchmark model and comparing the resultant eigenvalues. The calculated eigenvalues are approximately 2-3% greater than expected with an uncertainty of ±0.70%. The primary sources of uncertainty are the impurities in the core and reflector graphite. The release of additional HTTR data could effectively reduce the benchmark model uncertainties and bias. Sensitivity of the results to the graphite impurity content might imply that further evaluation of the graphite content could significantly improve calculated results. Proper characterization of graphite for future Next Generation Nuclear Power reactor designs will improve computational modeling capabilities. Current benchmarking activities include evaluation of the annular HTTR cores and assessment of the remaining start-up core physics experiments, including reactivity effects, reactivity coefficient, and reaction-rate distribution measurements. Long term benchmarking goals might includemore » analyses of the hot zero-power critical, rise-to-power tests, and other irradiation, safety, and technical evaluations performed with the HTTR.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE - NE
OSTI Identifier:
957537
Report Number(s):
INL/CON-08-14846
TRN: US1000629
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-99ID-13727
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2009 International Conference on Mathematics, Computational Methods and Reactor Physics,The Saratoga Hotel & Conference Center, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA,05/03/2009,05/07/2009
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; BENCHMARKS; EIGENVALUES; ETR REACTOR; GRAPHITE; HELIUM; HOTELS; IMPURITIES; IRRADIATION; NEUTRONS; NUCLEAR POWER; PHYSICS; REACTION KINETICS; REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS; SAFETY; SENSITIVITY; START-UP; TEST REACTORS; VALIDATION; Benchmark; Graphite Reactor; HTTR; IRPhEP; Prismatic Fuel; TRISO

Citation Formats

Bess, John Darrell. Preliminary Benchmark Evaluation of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.2172/952014.
Bess, John Darrell. Preliminary Benchmark Evaluation of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/952014
Bess, John Darrell. 2009. "Preliminary Benchmark Evaluation of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/952014. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/957537.
@article{osti_957537,
title = {Preliminary Benchmark Evaluation of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor},
author = {Bess, John Darrell},
abstractNote = {A benchmark model of the initial fully-loaded start-up core critical of Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) was developed to provide data in support of ongoing validation efforts of the Very High Temperature Reactor Program using publicly available resources. The HTTR is a 30 MWt test reactor utilizing graphite moderation, helium coolant, and prismatic TRISO fuel. The benchmark was modeled using MCNP5 with various neutron cross-section libraries. An uncertainty evaluation was performed by perturbing the benchmark model and comparing the resultant eigenvalues. The calculated eigenvalues are approximately 2-3% greater than expected with an uncertainty of ±0.70%. The primary sources of uncertainty are the impurities in the core and reflector graphite. The release of additional HTTR data could effectively reduce the benchmark model uncertainties and bias. Sensitivity of the results to the graphite impurity content might imply that further evaluation of the graphite content could significantly improve calculated results. Proper characterization of graphite for future Next Generation Nuclear Power reactor designs will improve computational modeling capabilities. Current benchmarking activities include evaluation of the annular HTTR cores and assessment of the remaining start-up core physics experiments, including reactivity effects, reactivity coefficient, and reaction-rate distribution measurements. Long term benchmarking goals might include analyses of the hot zero-power critical, rise-to-power tests, and other irradiation, safety, and technical evaluations performed with the HTTR.},
doi = {10.2172/952014},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/957537}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}

Conference:
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