Sensitivity of hydrodynamic parameters' distributions in VVER-1000 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) with respect to uncertainty of the local hydraulic resistance coefficients

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents an uncertainty and sensitivity (U&S) study of the VVER-1000 reactor hydraulic properties. It is based on the OECD/NEA coolant transient Benchmark (K-3) on measured data at Kalinin-3 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) [1]. The novelty of the work consists of taking into consideration all hydraulic uncertainty parameters used in the modeling of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) internals. A detailed parallel channel ATHLET model of the RPV is developed. It consists of ca. 26 600 control volumes most of them connected with junctions for cross flows. The specific geometry of the gap between upper part of the baffle and upper part of fuel assembly and also a fuel assembly head is taken explicitly into account The influence of the input parameters on the sensitivity and uncertainty of the RPV outlet and inlet temperatures and mass flows as well assembly-wise mass flow and coolant temperature axial distributions is shown.