ASSERT Software Quality Assurance, Benchmark Testing and Parametric Studies

Abstract

This paper gives a brief introduction to the ASSERT subchannel code and outlines the software quality assurance (SQA) protocol and source code management (SCM) system for code development in a team environment. The acceptance criteria or benchmark database for the ASSERT code is presented; that allows for qualitative verification of the code over a wide range of conditions and solution options, and ensures that our successive code production versions meet our SQA standard before being released. Examples of the use of ASSERT for parametric studies or sensitivity analysis are given to illustrate how the code can be used to examine the separate effects of fuel channel geometry, boundary conditions, and sub-model options. Specific examples are also given showing the sensitivity of the ASSERT code to the use of the CHF table look-up method and its various correction factors, transient CHF analysis and numerical experiments to investigate the separate sub-models of the advanced drift flux model in ASSERT. The purpose of this paper is to present a pragmatic method of software quality assured code development and to illustrate how a subchannel analysis code may be used for various applications and to analyze the sensitivity of fuel channel conditions to separate effects. Conclusions and future directions for the ASSERT code are presented.