Control Rod Withdrawal and Sodium Natural Circulation Tests Performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments

Closed for proposals

Project Type

Coordinated Research Project

Project Code

I33012

CRP

1455

Approved Date

9 May 2008

Status

Closed

Start Date

15 July 2008

Expected End Date

14 July 2011

Completed Date

1 January 2013

Description

The CRP addresses end-of-life experiments to be performed before the final shut-down of the prototype fast breeder power reactor PHENIX. The CRP will improve the participants’ analytical capabilities in the various fields of research and design of sodium cooled fast reactors through data and codes verification and validation.

Objectives

To improve the CRP participants analytical capabilities in various fields of research and design of sodium-cooled fast reactors through code verification and validation, with particular emphasis on temperature and power distribution calculations and the analysis of sodium natural circulation phenomena.

Specific objectives

Enhanced international team-building and technical cooperation in the area of fast reactors

Improved understanding of fast reactor neutronics and thermal hydraulics in safety relevant situations

Improved understanding of the methodology employed to simulate fast reactors (data and computer codes)

Improved verification and validation status of this methodology and the used numerical codes

Impact

The CRP contributed to improve the know-how on the power and reactivity control as well as some natural circulation phenomena occurring in a large sodium-cooled fast reactors, under transient and accident conditions. It was also very successful as far as the further verification, validation and qualification (V&V&Q) of the neutronic, safety and CFD numerical codes used by the CRP participants to assess performances and conduct safety analyses of innovative sodium-cooled fast reactors under development/design in their country.

Relevance

The outcomes of the CRP are of great importance for all the Member States with an active programme on fast reactors. As already stated, the CRP greatly contributed to improve the V&V&Q process of the most advanced nuclear codes used for the design and the safety analysis of innovative fast neutron systems under development/design worldwide.

CRP Publications

Type

Special Session at International Conference

Year

2014

Description

7 papers from CRP participants and the IAEA presented at a special session of the PHYSOR2014 Conference

Country/Organization

JAPAN

Type

Paper in peer-reviewed international Journal

Year

2013

Description

Nuclear Engineering and Design 258 (2013) 189-198 - International Benchmark on the Natural Convection Test in PHENIX Reactor

Country/Organization

USA

Type

Paper at International Conference

Year

2013

Description

Proceedings of ICAPP'13 - Paper FA081 - Benchmark Calculations on Control Rod Withdrawal Tests Performed during PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments

Country/Organization

USA

Type

TECDOC-1703

Year

2013

Publication URL

http://www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/Publications/2014/index.html

Description

Full reporting of the benchmark analyses on the natural circulation test performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments

Country/Organization

IAEA

Type

Paper at International Conference

Year

2012

Description

Proceedings of ICAPP'12 - Paper 12287: Overall Results of and Lessons Learned from the IAEA CRP on Sodium Natural Circulation Test Performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments

Country/Organization

USA

Type

TECDOC-1742

Year

2014

Publication URL

http://www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/Publications/2014/index.html

Description

Full reporting of the benchmark analyses on the Control Rod Withdrawal Tests performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments

Country/Organization

IAEA

Type

Paper at International Conference

Year

2014

Description

PHYSOR2014 - The Role of Reactor Physics Toward a Sustainable Future: IAEA Benchmark Calculations on Control Rod Withdrawal Test Performed During PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments Benchmark Results and Comparison

Country/Organization

JAPAN

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