Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor

Bays, Samuel E.; Nielsen, Joseph; Cogliati, Joshua; Wemple, Charles

doi:10.1080/00295450.2021.1980320

Title: Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor

Abstract

We report that the neutronics software, HELIOS, was validated in 2015 for performing core reload design and safety analysis of the Advanced Test Reactor. However, when HELIOS was benchmarked against historic fission-wire measurements (i.e., zero-power full-core measurements) a statistically resolved calculation-to-measurement bias was discovered. The azimuthal power along each fuel plate computed by HELIOS has consistently shown to under-predict measurements made by fission-wires in historic zero-power tests near the fuel element side-plates. It was hypothesized during the HELIOS software validation work, that this bias is attributable to local moderation in coolant vents in the side-plates axially just above and below the fission-wires on the fuel-plate edges. This work used detailed MCNP and MC21 models of the side-plate vents to test this hypothesis. By comparing the average azimuthal biases between HELIOS, and 2D and 3D MCNP models, and a 3D MC21 model, it was found that the HELIOS azimuthal bias is not due to the measurement.

Authors:

^[1];

^[1]; Wemple, Charles ^[1]

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

Publication Date:: Mon Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2021

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

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1897618

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-19-52384
Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450; TRN: US2310813

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Nuclear Technology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 208; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0029-5450

Publisher:: Taylor & Francis - formerly American Nuclear Society (ANS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; advanced test reactor; verification and validation; fission wire; HELIOS; MCNP; MC21

Citation Formats


                    Bays, Samuel E., Nielsen, Joseph, Cogliati, Joshua, and Wemple, Charles. Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor.  United States: N. p., 2021. 
Web.  doi:10.1080/00295450.2021.1980320.

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                    Bays, Samuel E., Nielsen, Joseph, Cogliati, Joshua, & Wemple, Charles. Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1980320

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                    Bays, Samuel E., Nielsen, Joseph, Cogliati, Joshua, and Wemple, Charles. Mon .  
"Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1980320.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1897618.

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@article{osti_1897618,

  title        = {Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor},

  author       = {Bays, Samuel E. and Nielsen, Joseph and Cogliati, Joshua and Wemple, Charles},

  abstractNote = {We report that the neutronics software, HELIOS, was validated in 2015 for performing core reload design and safety analysis of the Advanced Test Reactor. However, when HELIOS was benchmarked against historic fission-wire measurements (i.e., zero-power full-core measurements) a statistically resolved calculation-to-measurement bias was discovered. The azimuthal power along each fuel plate computed by HELIOS has consistently shown to under-predict measurements made by fission-wires in historic zero-power tests near the fuel element side-plates. It was hypothesized during the HELIOS software validation work, that this bias is attributable to local moderation in coolant vents in the side-plates axially just above and below the fission-wires on the fuel-plate edges. This work used detailed MCNP and MC21 models of the side-plate vents to test this hypothesis. By comparing the average azimuthal biases between HELIOS, and 2D and 3D MCNP models, and a 3D MC21 model, it was found that the HELIOS azimuthal bias is not due to the measurement.},

  doi          = {10.1080/00295450.2021.1980320},

  journal      = {Nuclear Technology},

  number       = 5,

  volume       = 208,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2021},

  month        = {Mon Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2021}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

MC21 v.6.0 – A continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport code with integrated reactor feedback capabilities
journal, August 2015

Griesheimer, D. P.; Gill, D. F.; Nease, B. R.
Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 82
DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2014.08.020

Upgrading Limiting Peak-Power Analysis Techniques with Modern Validation and Uncertainty Quantification for the Advanced Test Reactor
journal, January 2018

Bays, Samuel E.; Davis, Cliff B.; Archibald, Periann A.
Nuclear Technology, Vol. 201, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1080/00295450.2017.1415091

A fission matrix based validation protocol for computed power distributions in the advanced test reactor
journal, December 2015

Nielsen, Joseph W.; Nigg, David W.; LaPorta, Anthony W.
Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 295
DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.07.049

Power Distribution Analysis for the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor Critical Experiment 3
journal, January 2010

Chandler, David; Primm, R. T.; Maldonado, G. Ivan
Nuclear Science and Engineering, Vol. 164, Issue 1
DOI: 10.13182/NSE09-03

Detailed MCNP Modeling of BR2 Fuel with Azimuthal Variation
journal, April 2007

Kalcheva, Silva; Koonen, Edgar; Gubel, Pol
Nuclear Technology, Vol. 158, Issue 1
DOI: 10.13182/NT07-A3823

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Title: Validating Intra-Plate Power Distributions in the Advanced Test Reactor

Abstract

Citation Formats

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