Development of a three-dimensional thermohydraulic-neutronic coupling scheme for transient analysis of liquid metal cooled fast reactor technologies using the system code TRACE-PARCS

Abstract

According to the R&D agenda of the SNETP (Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform) and Generation IV International Forum (GIF) there is a need to develop computational tools to ensure the safety of new reactor concepts. These computational tools should provide a reliable and accurate way to simulate conditions that may threat the reactor safety. Accident scenarios in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) involve 3D phenomena that these tools should be able to simulate. With this aim, a 3D thermo-hydraulic model of a Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) has been developed for the system code TRACE. In order to take account the neutronic behaviour of the core during such transients, this model has been coupled with a 3D neutron kinetics code (PARCS). These codes, aimed at the simulation of transients of light water reactors, have been adapted to take into account for the specific phenomena involved in fast reactors. The set of cross sections needed for such analysis has been generated using the Monte Carlo code SERPENT. The aim of this paper is to describe the details of such computational structure and to show its results in the analysis of a SFR-type plant. This multi-physics computational structure could be easily tailored for other liquid metal cooled fast reactor technologies.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen