MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6

Aviles, Brian N.; Kelly, Daniel J.; Aumiller, David L.; Gill, Daniel F.; Siebert, Brett W.; Godfrey, Andrew T.; Collins, Benjamin S.; Salko, Robert K.

doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2017.05.017

Title: MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6

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Abstract

The Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) core physics benchmark problem #6, 3D Hot Full Power (HFP) assembly, from the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) was simulated using the MC21 continuous energy Monte Carlo code coupled with the COBRA-IE subchannel thermal-hydraulics code using the R5EXEC coupling framework. The converged MC21/COBRA-IE solution was compared to results from CASL's VERA-CS code system, MPACT coupled to COBRA-TF (CTF). MPACT is a three-dimensional (3D) whole core transport code, executed in a 2D/1D approach employing planar method of characteristics (MOC) solutions with SP₃ in the axial direction, and CTF is a subchannel thermal-hydraulics code designed for Light Water Reactor analysis. Eigenvalues agreed within 63 pcm, axially-integrated normalized radial fission distributions agreed within ±0.2% (root mean square (RMS) difference of 0.1%), local volume-averaged fuel pin temperatures agreed within +8.8/-4.3 C (RMS difference of 3.9 C), and local subchannel coolant temperatures agreed within +0.8/-1.5 C (RMS difference of 0.5 C). A sensitivity study to guide tube heat transfer indicated that a statistically-significant increase in reactivity and shift in radial pin power distribution occurred within the assembly when guide tube heating was enabled.

Authors:

Aviles, Brian N.; Kelly, Daniel J.; Aumiller, David L.;

; Siebert, Brett W.; Godfrey, Andrew T.; Collins, Benjamin S.; Salko, Robert K.

Publication Date:: 2017-11-01

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:: 1364065

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1565664

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Progress in Nuclear Energy

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Progress in Nuclear Energy Journal Volume: 101 Journal Issue: PC; Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1970

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

Subject:: 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; Nuclear Science & Technology; Multiphysics; MC21; COBRA-IE; VERA; MPACT; CTF

Citation Formats


                    Aviles, Brian N., Kelly, Daniel J., Aumiller, David L., Gill, Daniel F., Siebert, Brett W., Godfrey, Andrew T., Collins, Benjamin S., and Salko, Robert K.. MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6.  United Kingdom: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2017.05.017.

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                    Aviles, Brian N., Kelly, Daniel J., Aumiller, David L., Gill, Daniel F., Siebert, Brett W., Godfrey, Andrew T., Collins, Benjamin S., & Salko, Robert K.. MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6.  United Kingdom.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2017.05.017

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                    Aviles, Brian N., Kelly, Daniel J., Aumiller, David L., Gill, Daniel F., Siebert, Brett W., Godfrey, Andrew T., Collins, Benjamin S., and Salko, Robert K.. Wed .  
"MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6".  United Kingdom.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2017.05.017.

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@article{osti_1364065,

  title        = {MC21/COBRA-IE and VERA-CS multiphysics solutions to VERA core physics benchmark problem #6},

  author       = {Aviles, Brian N. and Kelly, Daniel J. and Aumiller, David L. and Gill, Daniel F. and Siebert, Brett W. and Godfrey, Andrew T. and Collins, Benjamin S. and Salko, Robert K.},

  abstractNote = {The Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) core physics benchmark problem #6, 3D Hot Full Power (HFP) assembly, from the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) was simulated using the MC21 continuous energy Monte Carlo code coupled with the COBRA-IE subchannel thermal-hydraulics code using the R5EXEC coupling framework. The converged MC21/COBRA-IE solution was compared to results from CASL's VERA-CS code system, MPACT coupled to COBRA-TF (CTF). MPACT is a three-dimensional (3D) whole core transport code, executed in a 2D/1D approach employing planar method of characteristics (MOC) solutions with SP3 in the axial direction, and CTF is a subchannel thermal-hydraulics code designed for Light Water Reactor analysis. Eigenvalues agreed within 63 pcm, axially-integrated normalized radial fission distributions agreed within ±0.2% (root mean square (RMS) difference of 0.1%), local volume-averaged fuel pin temperatures agreed within +8.8/-4.3 C (RMS difference of 3.9 C), and local subchannel coolant temperatures agreed within +0.8/-1.5 C (RMS difference of 0.5 C). A sensitivity study to guide tube heat transfer indicated that a statistically-significant increase in reactivity and shift in radial pin power distribution occurred within the assembly when guide tube heating was enabled.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.pnucene.2017.05.017},

  journal      = {Progress in Nuclear Energy},

  number       = PC,

  volume       = 101,

  place        = {United Kingdom},

  year         = {2017},

  month        = {11}

}

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