Analysis of the Exercise 2 of the OECD - MSLB Benchmark with the Code DYN3D/R

The Cartesian version of the 3D core model DYN3D coupled with the thermohydraulic plant
model ATHLET will be used for the analysis of the OECD Main Steam Line Break (MSLB)
Benchmark which is based on real plant design and operational data of the TMI-1 PWR. The
three exercises of the benchmark are a point kinetics plant simulation (exercise 1), a
coupled 3D neutronics/core thermal-hydraulics evaluation of the core response (exercise 2)
and a best estimate coupled core-plant transient analysis (exercise 3). The presented
calculations of the exercise 2 are performed with the DYN3D code alone. The core boundary
conditions provided by calculations of the Penn State University with the TRAC-PF1/NEM code
system are used as input for the two scenarios of this exercise. Considering the best
estimate case (scenario 1) the reactor does not become critical during the transient.
Defining a more serious test for the codes, the efficiency of the control rods was
decreased to obtain a return to power in the transient (scenar io 2). The influence of
different thermohydraulic modelling on the results is investigated with the help of the
DYN3D calculations for scenario 2. The core averaged values as the total nuclear power or
the reactivity show a low sensitivity against the variation of the thermohydraulic model.
Considering local values as the maximum nodal Doppler temperature an impact of the
thermohydraulic model is observed.