Propagation of void fraction uncertainty measures in the RETRAN-3D simulation of the Peach Bottom turbine trip
Journal article, 2011

The paper describes the propagation of void fraction uncertainty, as quantified by employing a novel methodology developed at Paul Scherrer Institut, in the RETRAN-3D simulation of the Peach Bottom turbine trip test. Since the transient considered is characterized by a strong coupling between thermal-hydraulics and neutronics. the accuracy in the void fraction model has a very important influence on the prediction of the power history and, in particular, of the maximum power reached. It has been shown that the objective measures used for the void fraction uncertainty, based on the direct comparison between experimental and predicted values extracted from a database of appropriate separate-effect tests, provides power uncertainty bands that are narrower and more realistic than those based, for example, on expert opinion. The applicability of such an approach to best estimate, nuclear power plant transient analysis has thus been demonstrated.

Thermal-hydraulics

Nuclear power plants

Safety analysis

Best-estimate codes

Code uncertainty propagation

Uncertainty analysis

Author

Paolo Vinai

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

R. Macian

Technical University of Munich

R. Chawla

Paul Scherrer Institut

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)

Annals of Nuclear Energy

0306-4549 (ISSN) 1873-2100 (eISSN)

Vol. 38 2-3 358-370

Subject Categories

Subatomic Physics

DOI

10.1016/j.anucene.2010.10.007

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Latest update

5/3/2018 1