BEAVRS benchmark analyses by DeCART stand-alone calculations and comparison with DeCART/MATRA multi-physics coupling calculations

Abstract

The BEAVRS (Benchmark for Evaluation and Validation of Reactor Simulation) benchmark calculations were performed by DeCART stand-alone and DeCART/MATRA multi-physics coupled code system to verify their accuracy. The solutions of DeCART stand-alone calculations for the control rod bank worth, detector signal, isothermal temperature coefficient, and critical boron concentration agreed very well with the measurements. The root-mean-square errors of the boron letdown curves for two-cycles were less than about 20 ppm, while the individual and total control rod bank worth agreed well within 7.3% and 2.4%, respectively. For the BEAVRS benchmark calculations at the beginning of burnup, the difference between DeCART simplified thermal-hydraulic stand-alone and DeCART/MATRA coupled calculations were not significantly large. Therefore, it is concluded that both the DeCART stand-alone code and the DeCART/MATRA multi-physics coupled code system have the capabilities to generate high fidelity transport solutions at core follow calculations.