History-Based Calculations Using WTMS-AECL in RFSP

Abstract

The Reactor Fuelling Simulation Program (RFSP) has been modified to track core histories with local parameters based on WIMS-AECL lattice-cell properties. The lattice-cell properties are calculated with a simple-cell methodology that reproduces the WIMS-AECL lattice-cell properties of each fuel bundle using a very efficient computational scheme. The fast and thermal fluxes calculated in RFSP at each bundle location are transferred to the simple-cell model to improve the consistency between the neutron-flux spectrum in the core and lattice-cell calculations. The modified version of RFSP was used to track a one-year period of the Point Lepreau Generating Station (PLGS) operating history. The results of the simulations were compared to vanadium detector readings from PLGS and show that the core calculations obtained with the WIMS-AECL history-based lattice-cell properties are improved, relative to non-history-based simulations.