Study on the analyses of the reactor physics benchmark problem for the LWR next generation fuels

Research Committee on Reactor Physics

This report summarizes the second phase (FY2001-2002) activity of "the Working Party (WP) on Reactor Physics for LWR Next Generation Fuels". The next generation fuels mean the ones aiming at further extended burn-up such as 70GWd/t over the current design. In the WP, the benchmark activity has been conducted to investigate and improve the calculation accuracy of the nuclear characteristics of the next generation fuels. In the second phase activity, all benchmark results were compiled and compared. Based on the comparison, the present status of calculation accuracy for the next generation fuels has been confirmed, and the factors causing the calculation differences were analyzed in detail. Moreover, analyses of the post irradiation and critical experiments with the codes used in the benchmark were reviewed, and future experiments and research subjects necessary to reduce the calculation differences were discussed and proposed.