Best Estimated Method to Determine Energy Redistribution Factor for LOCA Analysis

• Published in: Journal of nuclear science and technology Vol. 38; no. 6; pp. 388 - 391
• Main Authors: CHOI, Taeyoung, PARK, Chan Oh, DO, Man Seok, LEE, Chang Kue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis Group 01-06-2001; Atomic Energy Society of Japan
• Subjects: Applied sciences; burnup; CE type PWR; decay energy; Energy; energy redistribution factor; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; fuel rods; gamma energy; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; loss of coolant accident peak clad temperature; power distribution; LOCA; Temperature; Mean free path; Nuclear power plant; Power distribution; Energy distribution; Computation code; Clad; Computing method; Reactor core; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0022-3131; 1881-1248
• DOI: 10.1080/18811248.2001.9715044

The new method introduces the response that is independent of the burn-up and rod-power distributions, and makes Energy Redistribution Factor (ERF) calculated easily and exactly with the response. The new method also includes the burn-up effect, which means that the maximum pin power is decreased as the core is burned up, to the ERF and uses the 5x5-assembly array for the long gamma ray's mean free path. The rod power distribution of the array in the method is calculated by the core design code. The new method was applied to the several cycles of Korean Standard Nuclear Plant. The results showed that the new method was able to reduce the excessive conservatism in the ERF for LOCA than the current method where the cycle maximum ERF is used for calculating the Peak Clad Temperature.