Steady state analysis of SFR cores using DYN3D-Serpent codes sequence

The advanced multi-group nodal diffusion code DYN3D is currently being extended to the analysis of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) cores. Thermo-physical properties of sodium (such as thermal conductivity, density, viscosity, etc.) were included into the thermal-hydraulics module database. The development of thermo-mechanical model (to account for the core thermal expansion effects) is planned for the near future. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using DYN3D for the modeling of SFR cores. For this purpose, a 2D model of the mixed oxide fuel (MOX) European Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR) core was considered. 2D full core depletion calculations were performed using Serpent-DYN3D code sequence and the results were compared with those obtained from a 2D full core Monte Carlo solution. Very good agreement between the codes was observed for the core integral parameters and power distribution at beginning of life (BOL) and end of life (EOL).