Verification of the HTR code package (HCP) as a comprehensive HTR steady state and transient safety analysis framework

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design 2018-04, Vol.329, p.167-176
• Main Authors: Kasselmann, S., Xhonneux, A., Tantillo, F., Trabadela, A., Lambertz, D., Allelein, H.-J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Code Package; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Corrosion; Fission products; Fluid dynamics; Graphite; HCP; High temperature; HTR; Hydrodynamics; Neutrons; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear safety; Reactor Physics; Reactors; Safety; Safety research; Simulation; Spatial discrimination; Spatial resolution; Steady state; Time dependence
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.11.044

The HTR code package (HCP) allows for the simulation of several safety-related aspects of a High Temperature Reactor core in a highly integrated manner. HCP currently couples the thermo-fluid dynamics and time dependent neutronics code MGT, the spectrum code TRISHA, the burn up code TNT, the fuel management code SHUFLE and the fission product release code STACY. During its development, state-of-the-art programming techniques and standards are applied. The cross sections in HCP are generated by a 0D- or 1D-solver featuring an innovative approach to treat the double heterogeneity of pebble fuel. Also major improvements have been made to optimize the nuclear data library based on ENDF/B-VII. Two advanced fuel management models are provided by the code module SHUFLE that go far beyond the capabilities of existing system codes like VSOP. The source term analysis code module STACY is coupled to HCP providing release rate calculations with a high spatial resolution making use of the nuclide densities provided by TNT. An outstanding new feature of HCP is the possibility to simulate long-term operation scenarios based on OTTO or MEDUL fuel shuffling schemes as well as selected transients in one integrated code package. Even alternating steady state/transient/steady state simulations are possible. So with HCP different fuel strategies and their influence on various kinds of accidents can be examined with one consistent reactor model. This paper provides an overview of the development status of the HCP and reports about selected benchmark results. It is demonstrated that the new system code HCP is capable to replace existing stand-alone codes like VSOP, TINTE/MGT, FRESCO or PANAMA while introducing new features, which so far to our knowledge were not available in the field of HTR safety research.