Benchmark of SIMULATE5 Thermalhydraulics Against the FRIGG and NUPEC Full Bundle Test Experiments

Abstract

SIMULATE5 is Studsvik Scandpower's next generation nodal code. The core portion of the thermal hydraulic models of PWR and BWRs are treated as essentially identical, with each assembly having an active channel and a number of parallel water channels. In addition, the BWR assembly may be divided into four radial sub-assemblies. For natural circulation reactors, the BWR thermal hydraulic model is capable of modeling an entire vessel loop: core, chimney, upper plenum, standpipes, steam separators, downcomer, recirculation pumps, and lower plenum. This paper presents results of the validation of the BWR thermal hydraulic model against: (1) pressure drop data measured in the Frigg and NUPEC test facilities; (2) void fraction distribution measured in the Frigg and NUPEC loops; (3) quarter-assembly void fraction measured in the NUPEC experiments and (4) natural and forced circulation flow measurements in the Frigg loop.