System codes benchmarking on a low sodium void effect SFR heterogeneous core under ULOF conditions

Abstract

[EN] This paper discusses system codes benchmarking activities on an ASTRID-like heterogeneous fast core under a representative design basis accident condition: the unprotected loss of flow accident (ULOF). The paper provides evidence that all the system codes used in this exercise are capable to simulate the transient behavior of heterogeneous SFR cores up to the initiation of sodium boiling. As a proof of this, a comparison of steady-state results and dynamic simulation results for a ULOF transient (simulated using system codes in combination with neutron point kinetics) are provided and discussed in this paper. The paper contains a brief description of the system codes (TRACE, CATHARE, SIM-SFR, SAS-SFR, ATHLET, SPECTRA, SAS4A) used by the participants (PSI, CEA, EDF, KIT, GRS, UPVLC, NRG, KTH), assumptions made during the simulations, as well as results obtained.