Control Rod Withdrawal and Sodium Natural Circulation Tests Performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments
Closed for Proposals
Project Type
Coordinated Research ProjectProject Code
I33012
CRP
1455
Approved Date
9 May 2008Project Status
ClosedStart Date
15 July 2008Expected End Date
14 July 2011Completed Date
1 January 2013Description
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
USA
Paper at International Conference
2012
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
USA
Paper in peer-reviewed international Journal
2013
Nuclear Engineering and Design 258 (2013) 189-198 - International Benchmark on the Natural Convection Test in PHENIX Reactor
JAPAN
Special Session at International Conference
2014
7 papers from CRP participants and the IAEA presented at a special session of the PHYSOR2014 Conference
JAPAN
Paper at International Conference
2014
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
USA
Paper at International Conference
2013
Proceedings of ICAPP'13 - Paper FA081 - Benchmark Calculations on Control Rod Withdrawal Tests Performed during PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments
IAEA
TECDOC-1703
2013
Full reporting of the benchmark analyses on the natural circulation test performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments
IAEA
TECDOC-1742
2014
Full reporting of the benchmark analyses on the Control Rod Withdrawal Tests performed during the PHENIX End-of-Life Experiments