Peach Bottom BWR Turbine Trip Benchmark Analyses with RETRAN-3D and CORETRAN

Abstract

This paper presents results from Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) on the three phases of the Peach Bottom Boiling Water Reactor Turbine Trip Benchmark. The first part of the paper presents the PSI analysis using RETRAN-3D of Phase 1, where the system pressure is predicted based on a predefined core power distribution. These calculations elucidate the importance of accurate modeling of the steam separator region and of nonequilibrium effects. In the second part, the CORETRAN results of Phase 2 are summarized and the core 3-D response to the pressurization transient prior to SCRAM is discussed. The CORETRAN results show a slight axial flux redistribution toward the top of the core, while radially a flux redistribution is observed toward core regions with assemblies that are initially moderately voided and where the axial power shape is increasingly top-peaked. The impact of the control rod configuration as well as the assembly coolant inventory dynamics on the 3-D flux redistribution is also discussed. The third part presents results of the Phase 3 calculation using RETRAN-3D, which is a culmination of the analytical work of Phases 1 and 2.