Best Estimate codes are used for licensing, but with conservative assumptions. It is claimed that the uncertainties are covered by the conservatism of the calculation. As Nuclear Power Plants are applying for power up-rates and life extension, evaluation of the uncertainties could help improve the performance, while staying below the limit of the safety margins.   Given the problem of unstable behavior of Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), which is known to occur during operation at certain power and flow conditions, it could cause SCRAM and decrease the economic performance of the plant. Performing an uncertainty analysis for BWR stability would give better understating of the phenomenon and it would help to verify and validate (V&V) the codes used to predict the NPP behavior.   This thesis reports an uncertainty study of the impact of Thermal-Hydraulic, Neutronic, and Numerical parameters on the prediction of the stability of the BWR within the framework of OECD Ringhals-1 stability benchmark. The time domain code TRACE/PARCS was used in the analysis. This thesis is divided in two parts: Sensitivity study on Numerical Discretization Parameters (Nodalization, Time Step, etc.) and Uncertainty part.   A Sensitivity study was done for the Numerical Parameters (Nodalization and Time step). This was done by refining all possible components until obtaining Space-Time Converged Solution, i.e. further refinement doesn’t change the solution. When the space-time converged solution was compared to the initial discretization, a much better solution has been obtained for both the stability measures (Decay Ratio and Frequency) with the space-time converged model.   Further on, important Neutronic and Thermal-Hydraulic Parameters were identified and the uncertainty calculation was performed using the Propagation of Input Errors (PIE) methodology. This methodology, also known as the GRS method, has been used because it has been tested and extensively verified by the industry, and because it allows identifying the most influential parameters using the Spearman Rank Correlation. / QC 20101126

This master thesis aim to model the annular flow that occurs in the final section between the fuel rods inside Boiling Water Reactors, by approximating the geometry to a cylindrical pipe. Simulations were performed in the software ANSYS Fluent, as a step in the development of replacing the 1D correlations currently used in the nuclear industry with CFD models in 3D. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was used for the three fields of steam, liquid film and liquid droplets in the model. Entrainment was modeled based on 1D correlations from Okawa [7] and deposition with the built in Discrete Phase Model in ANSYS Fluent. The work focused on making the process less time consuming, and increasing accuracy of the model by comparing the results with empirical data based on experimental values. A transverse velocity was applied on the droplets at the point of entrainment with better correlating results with the Okawa model.

No description available.

O fenômeno de injeção de vapor em tanques de alívio é de relevância no projeto de reatores de água leve, sejam eles do tipo reator de água pressurizada (PWR) ou reator de água fervente (BWR). Este fenômeno permite a rápida absorção do vapor injetado em massa de água, por meio de sua condensação, uma vez que este vapor pode conter contaminantes químicos ou radiológicos que não permitem o seu descarte diretamente no ambiente. Desta forma, facilita-se a coleta do vapor produzido por descarga de vapor da água do resfriamento do reator, radiologicamente contaminada, e evita-se o que projeto de dispositivos e equipamentos necessite considerar a elevada pressão do vapor. A rapidez com que se dá a condensação é fruto de processos físicos que ocorrem na interface de vapor e água e que ainda não possuem modelo analítico e numérico definido. Em 1972 um modelo semi-empírico foi proposto, o qual, desde então, vem evoluindo. Não obstante, até o presente momento, não há modelo definitivo que se proponha a abranger toda extensão das condições experimentais. Estes modelos são fortemente dependentes do fluxo de massa que atravessa a interface de vapor e água, entretanto, até a presente data, não há expressão que determine este fluxo de massa, de tal forma que o valor de 275 Kg/m2/s vem sendo assumido como \"representativo da ordem de grandeza do fenômeno\" até o presente momento. Neste trabalho, é proposto um método de cálculo analítico do fluxo de massa, considerando-se como premissa a isentropia da injeção, e o desenvolvimento da 1ª e 2ª leis da Termodinâmica. Ainda, o fenômeno é analisado experimentalmente, por meio da análise dos dados produzidos no experimento do Circuito Termo Hidráulico de 150 bar (Loop 150), realizado nas dependências do CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO DA MARINHA EM SÃO PAULO. Por fim, um modelo numérico em software comercial foi desenvolvido para complementar a análise. Os resultados obtidos comprovam que a formulação isentrópica do fluxo de massa corrige de maneira satisfatória o fluxo de massa constante utilizado até então nos modelos semi-empíricos. Tal comprovação se deu através de análise numérica e da confrontação com dados experimentais obtidos na literatura. / The phenomenon of vapor injection in relief tanks presents relevance in the design of light water reactors, be they of the type pressurized water reactor (PWR) or boiling water reactor (BWR). This phenomenon allows the rapid absorption of the vapor injected in a mass of water, by condensation. Since this vapor may contain chemical or radiological contaminants that do not allow its discharge directly in the environment, it must be collected. The condensation avoids the design of devices and equipment, which need to consider the high vapor pressure, and allows the vapor to be collected. The rapidity with which the condensation occurs is the result of physical processes that occur at the interface of steam and water. These processes do not yet have a defined numerical and analytical model. In 1972 a semi-empirical model was proposed, which has, since then, evolved. Nevertheless, up to the present moment, there is no definitive model that intends to cover every extension of the experimental conditions. These models are strongly dependent on the mass flow through the steam and water interface, however, up to date, there is no expression that determines this mass flow. For the sake of this, the value of 275 kg / m2 / s has been assumed as \"representative of the order of magnitude of the phenomenon\" up to the present moment. In this work, a method of analytical calculation of mass flow is proposed, considering as premise the isotropy of the injection, and the development of the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics. Still, the phenomenon is analyzed experimentally, by means of the analysis of the data produced in the experiment of Loop 150, realized in dependencies of the CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO DA MARINHA EM SÃO PAULO. Finally, a numerical model in commercial software was developed to complement the analysis. The result is proven with an isentropic mass flow formulation, which satisfactorily corrected the mass used in the former semi-empirical models. Such verification was performed through a series of data and confrontation with experimental data in the literature.

O fenômeno de injeção de vapor em tanques de alívio é de relevância no projeto de reatores de água leve, sejam eles do tipo reator de água pressurizada (PWR) ou reator de água fervente (BWR). Este fenômeno permite a rápida absorção do vapor injetado em massa de água, por meio de sua condensação, uma vez que este vapor pode conter contaminantes químicos ou radiológicos que não permitem o seu descarte diretamente no ambiente. Desta forma, facilita-se a coleta do vapor produzido por descarga de vapor da água do resfriamento do reator, radiologicamente contaminada, e evita-se o que projeto de dispositivos e equipamentos necessite considerar a elevada pressão do vapor. A rapidez com que se dá a condensação é fruto de processos físicos que ocorrem na interface de vapor e água e que ainda não possuem modelo analítico e numérico definido. Em 1972 um modelo semi-empírico foi proposto, o qual, desde então, vem evoluindo. Não obstante, até o presente momento, não há modelo definitivo que se proponha a abranger toda extensão das condições experimentais. Estes modelos são fortemente dependentes do fluxo de massa que atravessa a interface de vapor e água, entretanto, até a presente data, não há expressão que determine este fluxo de massa, de tal forma que o valor de 275 Kg/m2/s vem sendo assumido como \"representativo da ordem de grandeza do fenômeno\" até o presente momento. Neste trabalho, é proposto um método de cálculo analítico do fluxo de massa, considerando-se como premissa a isentropia da injeção, e o desenvolvimento da 1ª e 2ª leis da Termodinâmica. Ainda, o fenômeno é analisado experimentalmente, por meio da análise dos dados produzidos no experimento do Circuito Termo Hidráulico de 150 bar (Loop 150), realizado nas dependências do CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO DA MARINHA EM SÃO PAULO. Por fim, um modelo numérico em software comercial foi desenvolvido para complementar a análise. Os resultados obtidos comprovam que a formulação isentrópica do fluxo de massa corrige de maneira satisfatória o fluxo de massa constante utilizado até então nos modelos semi-empíricos. Tal comprovação se deu através de análise numérica e da confrontação com dados experimentais obtidos na literatura. / The phenomenon of vapor injection in relief tanks presents relevance in the design of light water reactors, be they of the type pressurized water reactor (PWR) or boiling water reactor (BWR). This phenomenon allows the rapid absorption of the vapor injected in a mass of water, by condensation. Since this vapor may contain chemical or radiological contaminants that do not allow its discharge directly in the environment, it must be collected. The condensation avoids the design of devices and equipment, which need to consider the high vapor pressure, and allows the vapor to be collected. The rapidity with which the condensation occurs is the result of physical processes that occur at the interface of steam and water. These processes do not yet have a defined numerical and analytical model. In 1972 a semi-empirical model was proposed, which has, since then, evolved. Nevertheless, up to the present moment, there is no definitive model that intends to cover every extension of the experimental conditions. These models are strongly dependent on the mass flow through the steam and water interface, however, up to date, there is no expression that determines this mass flow. For the sake of this, the value of 275 kg / m2 / s has been assumed as \"representative of the order of magnitude of the phenomenon\" up to the present moment. In this work, a method of analytical calculation of mass flow is proposed, considering as premise the isotropy of the injection, and the development of the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics. Still, the phenomenon is analyzed experimentally, by means of the analysis of the data produced in the experiment of Loop 150, realized in dependencies of the CENTRO TECNOLÓGICO DA MARINHA EM SÃO PAULO. Finally, a numerical model in commercial software was developed to complement the analysis. The result is proven with an isentropic mass flow formulation, which satisfactorily corrected the mass used in the former semi-empirical models. Such verification was performed through a series of data and confrontation with experimental data in the literature.

In the process of a boiling water reactor, high-levels of waste and radiation occur, where almost all the dose per person of the radiation in Forsmark are due to the radioactive iso-tope cobalt-60. The reason is that the stable isotope cobalt-59 is converted to the radioac-tive isotope cobalt-60 due to neutron irradiation in the reactor. Since 2012, unusually high levels of cobalt-60 have been observed at Forsmark 2 which occurs from the material Stel-lite and is a very common sealant in valves. The major disadvantage of the material Stellite in nuclear power is the high concentration of cobalt-59. When grinding alloy surfaces con-taining Stellite, cobalt-59 is released in the form of abrasive dust if the effectiveness of sub-sequent Stellite alloys is poor. The consequences lead to increased radiation levels, which implies major financial costs and a difficult work environment in, for example, mainte-nance work.Today, there is no mapping of valves containing Stellite, which may result in the decon-tamination of Stellite not being requested and missing when a maintenance action in the form of, for example, grinding is performed. The completed mapping of valves containing Stellite is thus the first that has been carried out within Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB for the priority systems 313, 321, 331 and 415.In this work, valves containing Stellite have been mapped along main lines in systems that come into contact with reactor water without passing ion exchange filters. Furthermore, the effects of how the grinding of valves alloy surfaces in the seat / cone affects the feeding of cobalt-59 into the reactor and the effectiveness of subsequent decontamination of Stel-lite after grinding was investigated.The work has been divided into two main moments; Status analysis and Mapping, which in turn is divided into several sub-moments. The status analysis gathered the information re-quired to perform the mapping. With the gathered information from the status analysis, mapping was then carried out and valves were inventoried in the priority systems.A total of 45 valves containing Stellite were found whose water flow is likely to end up in the reactor without passing ion exchange filters. A total of 13 valves containing Stellite were found, which are not detected by the chemical departments measurement points and whose waterflow did not pass ion exchange filters before the reactor for systems 321 and 331.During a decontamination of Stellite in a valve, only alloy surfaces in the valves are con-trolled and cleaned, which results in dust from grinding remaining in the other surfaces of the valve as well as in the pipe ends when the valve has been assembled prior to commis-sioning. Of the 45 valves containing Stellite which have been inventoried, grinding in theseat/cone have occurred in eight of the valves, but only two of the valves have been de-contaminated since 2010-01-01. Since no decontamination of Stellite has occured six of eight times after grinding, and only alloy surfaces are checked as well as decontaminated, the effectiveness of subsequent decontamination of Stellite after grinding is very low.Based on the results of the work, a number of improvement proposals have been present-ed for continued work to reduce the feeding of cobalt 59 to the reactor water and eventu-ally reduce the radiation levels at Forsmark's nuclear power plant. / Vid processen i en kokvattenreaktor uppstår högaktivt avfall och höga strålningsnivåer, där nästan all persondos av strålning på Forsmark beror av den radioaktiva isotopen kobolt-60. Anledningen är att den stabila isotopen kobolt-59 omvandlas till den radioaktiva isotopen kobolt-60 vid neutronbestrålning i reaktorn. Man har sedan 2012 noterat ovanligt höga halter av kobolt-60 på Forsmark 2 vilket härrör till materialet Stellite, som är ett mycket vanligt tätningsmaterial i ventiler. Den stora nackdelen med Stellite i kärnkraftssamman-hang är den höga koncentrationen av kobolt-59. Vid slipning av legeringsytor innehållande Stellite, riskeras kobolt-59 frigöras i form av slipdamm om effektiviteten av efterföljande Stellitesaneringar är dålig. Konsekvenserna leder till ökade strålningsnivåer vilket innebär stora ekonomiska kostnader och en försvårad arbetsmiljö vid till exempel underhållsar-beten.Idag finns ingen kartläggning av ventiler innehållande Stellite, vilket kan resultera i att Stellitesaneringar inte begärs och uteblir då en underhållsåtgärd i form av till exempel slipning utförs. Den genomförda kartläggningen av ventiler innehållande Stellite är där-med den första som har utförts inom Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB för de prioriterade syste-men 313, 321, 331 och 415.I detta arbete har ventiler innehållande Stellite kartlagts längs huvudledningar i system som kommer i kontakt med reaktorvatten utan att passera jonbytarfilter. Vidare har effekterna av hur slipning av ventilers legeringsytor i säte/kägla påverkar inmatningen av kobolt-59 och effektiviteten av efterföljande Stellitesaneringar undersökts.Arbetet har delats upp i två huvudmoment; Nulägesanalys och Kartläggning, som i sin tur delats upp i flera delmoment. I nulägesanalysen samlades den information som krävdes för att utföra kartläggningen. Med den inhämtade informationen från nulägesanalysen, inven-terades och kartlades sedan ventiler i de prioriterade systemen.Totalt hittades 45 stycken ventiler innehållande Stellite vars vattenflöde riskerar att hamna i reaktorn utan att passera jonbytarfilter. Sammanlagt hittades 13 stycken ventiler innehål-lande Stellite som ej registreras av kemiavdelningens provtagningar och som inte passerar jonbytarfilter innan reaktorn för system 321 och 331.Vid en Stellitesanering kontrolleras och saneras endast legeringsytor i ventiler, vilket re-sulterar i att slipdamm kan finns kvar i ventilens övriga ytor samt i rörändarna då ventilen har monterats ihop inför driftsättning. Av de 45 stycken ventiler innehållande Stellite som har inventerats, har åtta stycken slipats i säte/kägla men enbart två stycken Stellitesanerats efter slipning sedan 2010-01-01. Eftersom Stellitesaneringar efter slipning har uteblivitsex av åtta gånger och endast legeringsytor kontrolleras samt Stellitesaneras, är effektivite-ten av efterföljande Stellitesaneringar vid slipning mycket låg.Baserat på resultaten av arbetet, har ett antal förbättringsförslag presenterats för fortsatt arbete att minska kobolt-59-inmatningen till reaktorvattnet och på sikt minska strål-ningsnivåerna på Forsmarks kärnkraftverk.

In order to improve the efficiency of dry used nuclear fuel (UNF) storage, reduced reactivity methods are being developed for various reactor types and operating conditions. Sub-criticality must be maintained in the storage configuration and conservative computer simulations are used as the primary basis for loading the storage casks. Methodologies are now being developed to reduce the amount of modeling and computation in order to make conservative assessments of how densely fuel can be packed. The SCALE/TRITON (Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation / Transport Rigor Implemented with Time-dependent Operation for Neutronic Depletion) code system has been used to simulate boiling water reactor (BWR) operating conditions in order to investigate nuclide densities in UNF and how the use of control rod blades affect nuclide densities found in UNF. Rodded and unrodded operating cases for a fuel assembly have been used as bounding cases and are used as reference solutions in a piecewise data approximation methodology (PDA method). A variety of control blade insertion patterns have been used with the PDA method and simulated in TRITON in order to observe trends in nuclide densities with varying control blade use. The PDA method is compared with TRITON simulated data in order to evaluate the validity and accuracy of the PDA method. The PDA method gives very accurate results for fissile nuclides but is insufficient in treating densities as a function of burnup for fission products and fertile nuclides. Predicting nuclide densities from temporally balanced control blade insertion and withdrawal patterns is also a strength of the PDA method. The PDA method, however, is not capable of properly accounting for neutron spectral shifts and the behavior in nuclide densities brought about by the spectral shift or nuclide density saturation. Observing the causes for the shortcomings in the PDA method, a more robust methodology can be developed.

This study aims to improve the modeling of partial SCRAM in the BISON plant model for the Forsmark 2 nuclear reactor after power uprate. Validation of the BISON model against tests performed from March to May in 2013 have shown that this is one of the areas in which there is room for improvement. After partial SCRAM is performed, the model underestimates the reactor power, recirculation flow and steam flow when compared to the measurement data. In BISON the partial SCRAM is modeled using a relative control rod effect vector (ASC vector). The aim is to replace the old values in this vector to improve the model. The new model was shown to give an improved result for the reactor power, recirculation flow and steam flow. The study gives recommendations on how to apply the new model and what values of the relative control rod effect vector that can be used in the future.

The advanced fuels investigated in this thesis comprise fuels non− conventional in their design/form (TRISO), their composition (high content of plutonium and minor actinides) or their use in a reactor type, in which they have not been used before (e.g. nitride fuel in BWR). These fuels come with a promise of improved characteristics such as safe, high temperature operation, spent fuel transmutation or fuel cycle extension, for which reasons their potentialis worth assessment and investigation. Their possible use also brings about various challenges, out of which some were addressed in this thesis. TRISO particle fuels with their superior retention abilities enable safe, high−temperature operation. Their combination with molten salt in the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) concept moreover promises high operating temperature at low pressure, but it requires a careful selection of the cooling salt and the TRISO dimensions to achieve adequate safety characteristic, incl. a negative feedback to voiding. We show that an AHTR cooled with FLiBe may safely operate with both Pu oxide and enriched U oxide fuels. Pu and Minor Actinides (MA) bearing fuels may be used in BWR for transmutation through multirecycling; however, the allowable amounts of Pu and MA are limited due to the degraded feedback to voiding or low reactivity.We showed that the main positive contribution to the void effect in the fuelswith Pu and MA content of around 11 to 15% consist of the decreased thermalcapture probability in Pu-240, Pu-239 and Am-241 and increased fast and resonance fission probability of U-238, Pu239 and Pu-240. The total void worthmoreover increases during multirecycling, limiting the allowable amount ofMA to 2.45% in uranium−based fuels. An alternative, thorium−based fuel allows for 3.45% MA without entering the positive voiding regime at any point of the multirecycling. The increased alpha−heating associated with the use of transmutation fuels, is at level 24−31 W/kgFUEL in the uranium based fuels and 32−37 W/kgFUEL in the thorium−based configurations. The maximum value of the neutron emission, reached in the last cycle, is 1.7·106 n/s/g and 2·106 n/s/g for uranium and for thorium−based fuels, respectively. Replacing the standard UO2 fuel with higher−uranium density UN orUNZrO2 fuels in BWR shows potential for an increase of the in-core fuelresidence time by about 1.4 year. This implies 1.4% higher availability of the plant. With the nitride fuels, the total void worth increases and the efficiency of the control rods and burnable poison deteriorates, but no major neutronics issue has been identified. The use of nitride fuels in the BWR environment is conditioned by their stability in hot steam. Possible methods for stabilizing nitride fuels in water and steam at 300◦ C were suggested in a recent patentapplication. / <p>QC 20121004</p>

In a nuclear power plant, control rods play a central role to control the reactivity ofthe core. In an inspection campaign of three control rods (CR 99) operated in theKKL reactor in Leibstadt, Switzerland, during 6 respectively 7 consecutive cycles,defects were detected in the top part of the control rods due to swelling caused bydepletion of the neutron-absorbing 10B isotope (Boron-10). In order to correlatethese defects to control rod depletion, the 10B depletion has in this study beencalculated in detail for the absorber pins in the top node of the control rods.Today the core simulator PLOCA7 is used for predicting the behavior of the reactorcore, where the retrievable information from the standard control rod follow-up isthe average 10B depletion for clusters of 19 absorber holes i.e. one axial node.However, the local 10B depletion in an absorber pin may be significantly differentfrom the node average depletion that is re-ceived from POLCA7. To learn more, the 10B depletion has been simulated for each absorber hole in the uppermost node usingthe stochastic Monte Carlo 3D simulation code MCNP as well as an MCNP- based2D-depletion code (McScram). It was found that the 10B depletion is significantly higher for the uppermost absorberpins than the node average. Furthermore, the radial depletion in individual absorberpins was found to be much higher than expected. The results are consistent with theexperimental data on control rod defects.