Simulation of B9401 Test in the RD-14M Experimental Facility With CATHARE2

Abstract

RD-14M experimental facility is a full vertical-scale representation of a CANDU heat transport system, that was used as a benchmark data generating facility within the frame of IAEA’s Technical Working Group on Advanced Technologies for HWRs. RD-14M Large-Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) test B9401 simulating HWR LOCA behaviour that was conducted by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) was selected for an international standard problem exercise. The aim was the intercomparison and validation of computer codes for thermalhydraulics safety analyses, using both codes originating within the HWR technology and also different versions of RELAP5 code, the later being developed for transient simulation of light water reactor coolant systems during postulated accidents. A report was published by IAEA in 2004. The Code for Analysis of THermalhydraulics during an Accident of Reactor and safety Evaluation (CATHARE), is also a LWR safety analysis code, developed jointly by AREVA_NP (reactors vendor), CEA (the French Atomic Energy Commission), EDF (the French electricity utility) and IRSN (the French Nuclear Safety Institute). The paper presents a model created for the RD-14M facility with CATHARE2, and the code application to the B9401 test. From the extensive series of test results available, several were selected to be compared to corresponding calculated evolutions. In some cases, our results are placed among those produced by the participants to the international standard problem with other codes.