Calculation of Detector Response Rate Based on BEAVRS Benchmark Using PWR-Core Analysis Code CORAL

Abstract

Three dimensional PWR-core analysis code CORAL developed by Wuhan Second Ship Design and Research Institute, which provides all functions required by PWR-core analysis calculation. These functions are neutron diffusion within the core and reflector, macroscopic depletion or microscopic depletion calculation analysis, multi-channel or sub-channel thermal-hydraulic analysis, one-dimensional heat transfer from nuclear fuel to the coolant, critical search by boron concentration or control rod position, integral and differential worth of neutron absorbers, neutron kinetics parameters for transient analysis, in-core neutron detector response simulation etc. CORAL is convenient to update and maintain in consider of modular, object-oriented programming technology. In order to verify the computational capabilities of the reactor core analysis code, the BEAVRS benchmark is adopted as the research object. The BEAVRS problem is a benchmark problem based on real commercial PWRs with detailed material description, geometric information, core operating history, and detector measurement data. In this paper, the CORAL code is used to carry out physical analysis and calculation for the BEAVRS benchmark, and the response rate distribution of radial and axial detectors can be obtained. By comparing with the measurement results provided by the benchmark, it can be found that the calculation results of the CORAL code are in good agreement. This shows that the CORAL code can well simulate the detector response distribution in the core.