Comparative Assessment of Thermalhydraulic Computer Codes Applied to Analysis of the SLOWPOKE-III Reactor

Abstract

There are a number of computer codes which can be used to analyse hypothetical and operational flow conditions in conventional reactor systems. However, for unconventional systems such as the SLOWPOKE-III low pressure natural circulation reactor, the choice of an appropriate code for analysis is not self-evident. In the study reported in this paper, several computer codes were used to analyse thermalhydraulic operation of SLOWPOKE-III. Computed results are given to illustrate operational characteristics, and the effects different thermalhydraulic models and numerical methods have on these predictions are discussed.