Recalculating the steady state conditions of the V-1000 zero-power facility at Kurchatov Institute using Monte Carlo and nodal diffusion codes

Abstract

Continuous-energy Monte Carlo reactor physics code Serpent 2 was used to model the critical steady state conditions measured in V-1000 zero-power critical facility at Kurchatov Institute (KI), Moscow in 1990–1992. The Serpent 2 results were compared to measurements and Serpent 2 was used to generate group constants for reactor dynamics code HEXTRAN. The results of a HEXTRAN calculation of the steady state were compared to Serpent 2. The relative power density distribution of the SERPENT2 calculations compared with the measurements was within the statistical accuracy. The comparison of HEXTRAN and Serpent 2 node-wise relative power density distributions showed an accuracy of ±10%.