Development and characterization of coupled physics critical experiments at the Walthousen Reactor Critical Facility for use as multi-physics experimental benchmarks
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Authors
Dupont, Mathieu N.
Issue Date
2019-12
Type
Electronic thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Language
ENG
Keywords
Nuclear engineering
Alternative Title
Abstract
The new multi-physics steady-state and transient coupling experiments are performed under specific reactor operating conditions of atmospheric pressure, low power (<15 W), sub-boiling temperature range (10 to 70 °C) and positive temperature reactivity coefficient. The results of these experiments can be used to validate neutron cross-section data models such as S(α,β) thermal scattering treatment of water and Doppler broadening of 238U or other fertile isotopes cross-sections in the fuel in the 10-70 °C range, as well as general neutronics/thermal-hydraulics multi-physics coupling schemes. The users can also apply these experiments to validate the tools that are used to model the startup reactor physics of current light water or future small-scale modular reactors, to study the reactor noise at the extremely low power, and to analyze the criticality safety of flooding accident in dry-cask storage of spent fuel, or criticality accident in spent fuel pools. The current available benchmark libraries for multi-physics modeling validation lack the type of data produced in this work, like positive isothermal reactivity coefficient experiments results, and/or transient thermal-hydraulics/neutronics coupling critical experiments, especially in the particular operating conditions of the RCF.
Description
December 2019
School of Engineering
School of Engineering
Full Citation
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY