The IAEA Coordinated Research Program on HTGR Reactor Physics, Thermal-hydraulics and Depletion Uncertainty Analysis

The IAEA Coordinated Research Program on HTGR Reactor Physics, Thermal-hydraulics and Depletion Uncertainty Analysis
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Release: 2012
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The continued development of High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) requires verification of design and safety features with reliable high fidelity physics models and robust, efficient, and accurate codes. The uncertainties in the HTR analysis tools are today typically assessed with sensitivity analysis and then a few important input uncertainties (typically based on a PIRT process) are varied in the analysis to find a spread in the parameter of importance. However, one wish to apply a more fundamental approach to determine the predictive capability and accuracies of coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and depletion simulations used for reactor design and safety assessment. Today there is a broader acceptance of the use of uncertainty analysis even in safety studies and it has been accepted by regulators in some cases to replace the traditional conservative analysis. Finally, there is also a renewed focus in supplying reliable covariance data (nuclear data uncertainties) that can then be used in uncertainty methods. Uncertainty and sensitivity studies are therefore becoming an essential component of any significant effort in data and simulation improvement. In order to address uncertainty in analysis and methods in the HTGR community the IAEA launched a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on the HTGR Uncertainty Analysis in Modelling early in 2012. The project is built on the experience of the OECD/NEA Light Water Reactor (LWR) Uncertainty Analysis in Best-Estimate Modelling (UAM) benchmark activity, but focuses specifically on the peculiarities of HTGR designs and its simulation requirements. Two benchmark problems were defined with the prismatic type design represented by the MHTGR-350 design from General Atomics (GA) while a 250 MW modular pebble bed design, similar to the INET (China) and indirect-cycle PBMR (South Africa) designs are also included. In the paper more detail on the benchmark cases, the different specific phases and tasks and the latest status and plans are presented.

IAEA Coordinated Research Project on HTGR Reactor Physics, Thermal-hydraulics and Depletion Uncertainty Analysis

IAEA Coordinated Research Project on HTGR Reactor Physics, Thermal-hydraulics and Depletion Uncertainty Analysis
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Total Pages: 68
Release: 2015
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ISBN:

The continued development of High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors (HTGRs) requires verification of HTGR design and safety features with reliable high fidelity physics models and robust, efficient, and accurate codes. The predictive capability of coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics and depletion simulations for reactor design and safety analysis can be assessed with sensitivity analysis (SA) and uncertainty analysis (UA) methods. Uncertainty originates from errors in physical data, manufacturing uncertainties, modelling and computational algorithms. (The interested reader is referred to the large body of published SA and UA literature for a more complete overview of the various types of uncertainties, methodologies and results obtained). SA is helpful for ranking the various sources of uncertainty and error in the results of core analyses. SA and UA are required to address cost, safety, and licensing needs and should be applied to all aspects of reactor multi-physics simulation. SA and UA can guide experimental, modelling, and algorithm research and development. Current SA and UA rely either on derivative-based methods such as stochastic sampling methods or on generalized perturbation theory to obtain sensitivity coefficients. Neither approach addresses all needs. In order to benefit from recent advances in modelling and simulation and the availability of new covariance data (nuclear data uncertainties) extensive sensitivity and uncertainty studies are needed for quantification of the impact of different sources of uncertainties on the design and safety parameters of HTGRs. Only a parallel effort in advanced simulation and in nuclear data improvement will be able to provide designers with more robust and well validated calculation tools to meet design target accuracies. In February 2009, the Technical Working Group on Gas-Cooled Reactors (TWG-GCR) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommended that the proposed Coordinated Research Program (CRP) on the HTGR Uncertainty Analysis in Modelling (UAM) be implemented. This CRP is a continuation of the previous IAEA and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) international activities on Verification and Validation (V & V) of available analytical capabilities for HTGR simulation for design and safety evaluations [1], [2], [3]. Within the framework of these activities different numerical and experimental benchmark problems were performed and insight was gained about specific physics phenomena and the adequacy of analysis methods.

The IAEA Coordinated Research Programme on HTGR Uncertainty Analysis

The IAEA Coordinated Research Programme on HTGR Uncertainty Analysis
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Total Pages: 22
Release: 2016
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ISBN:

The quantification of uncertainties in design and safety analysis of reactors is today not only broadly accepted, but in many cases became the preferred way to replace traditional conservative analysis for safety and licensing analysis. The use of a more fundamental methodology is also consistent with the reliable high fidelity physics models and robust, efficient, and accurate codes available today. To facilitate uncertainty analysis applications a comprehensive approach and methodology must be developed and applied, in contrast to the historical approach where sensitivity analysis were performed and uncertainties then determined by a simplified statistical combination of a few important input parameters. New methodologies are currently under development in the OECD/NEA Light Water Reactor (LWR) Uncertainty Analysis in Best-Estimate Modelling (UAM) benchmark activity. High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) designs require specific treatment of the double heterogeneous fuel design and large graphite quantities at high temperatures. The IAEA has therefore launched a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on HTGR Uncertainty Analysis in Modelling (UAM) in 2013 to study uncertainty propagation specifically in the HTGR analysis chain. Two benchmark problems are defined, with the prismatic design represented by the General Atomics (GA) MHTGR-350 and a 250 MW modular pebble bed design similar to the Chinese HTR-PM. Work has started on the first phase and the current CRP status is reported in the paper. A comparison of the Serpent and SCALE/KENO-VI reference Monte Carlo results for Ex. I-1 of the MHTGR-350 design is also included. It was observed that the SCALE/KENO-VI Continuous Energy (CE) k∞ values were 395 pcm (Ex. I-1a) to 803 pcm (Ex. I-1b) higher than the respective Serpent lattice calculations, and that within the set of the SCALE results, the KENO-VI 238 Multi-Group (MG) k∞ values were up to 800 pcm lower than the KENO-VI CE values. The use of the latest ENDF-B-VII.1 cross section library in Serpent lead to ~180 pcm lower k∞ values compared to the older ENDF-B-VII.0 dataset, caused by the modified graphite neutron capture cross section. Furthermore, the fourth beta release of SCALE 6.2 likewise produced lower CE k∞ values when compared to SCALE 6.1, and the improved performance of the new 252-group library available in SCALE 6.2 is especially noteworthy. A SCALE/TSUNAMI uncertainty analysis of the Hot Full Power variant for Ex. I-1a furthermore concluded that the 238U(n,[gamma]) (capture) and 235U(View the MathML source) cross-section covariance matrices contributed the most to the total k∞ uncertainty of 0.58%.

Uncertainty Analysis of the Fuel Compact of the Prismatic High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Test Problem Using SCALE6.1

Uncertainty Analysis of the Fuel Compact of the Prismatic High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Test Problem Using SCALE6.1
Author: Dumisane Albert Maretele
Publisher:
Total Pages: 190
Release: 2016
Genre: Electronic dissertations
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Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis -- Modular High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor -- KENO-VI -- TSUNAMI-3D -- Reactivity-equivalent Physical Transformation -- Cross-section covariance data -- Infinite multiplication factor -- Sensitivity coefficients -- SCALE 6.1.

Uncertainty and Target Accuracy Studies for the Very High Temperature Reactor(VHTR) Physics Parameters

Uncertainty and Target Accuracy Studies for the Very High Temperature Reactor(VHTR) Physics Parameters
Author: T. A. Taiwo
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2005
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The potential impact of nuclear data uncertainties on a number of performance parameters (core and fuel cycle) of the prismatic block-type Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) has been evaluated and results are presented in this report. An uncertainty analysis has been performed, based on sensitivity theory, which underlines what cross-sections, what energy range and what isotopes are responsible for the most significant uncertainties. In order to give guidelines on priorities for new evaluations or validation experiments, required accuracies on specific nuclear data have been derived, accounting for target accuracies on major design parameters. Results of an extensive analysis indicate only a limited number of relevant parameters do not meet the target accuracies assumed in this work; this does not imply that the existing nuclear cross-section data cannot be used for the feasibility and pre-conceptual assessments of the VHTR. However, the results obtained depend on the uncertainty data used, and it is suggested to focus some future evaluation work on the production of consistent, as far as possible complete and user oriented covariance data.