SAS4A analysis study on the initiating phase of ATWS events for generation-IV loop-type SFR

Kubota, Ryuzaburo; Koyama, Kazuya*; Moriwaki, Hiroyuki*; Yamada, Yumi*; Shimakawa, Yoshio*; Suzuki, Toru; Kawada, Kenichi   ; Kubo, Shigenobu ; Yamano, Hidemasa   

This paper describes an analysis study on the initiating phase of the ATWS events with SAS4A in order to confirm the appropriateness of the core design for the medium-scale SFR (750MWe-1765MWt). Not using a conventional lumping method that multiple fuel sub-assemblies having a similar characteristic were assigned to one channel (representing fuel assembly in SAS4A), each channel represents only the sub-assemblies of identical operating condition. In addition, the detailed power and reactivity distribution were set reflecting the change of insertion position of control rods. Applying these detailed analysis conditions, the SAS4A analyses were performed for unprotected loss-of-flow (ULOF) and unprotected transient overpower (UTOP) during both of the nominal power and the partial power operation. As a result, more proper event progression including incoherency of events especially fuel dispersion after fuel failure was successfully evaluated and then this analysis study suggested that the power excursion with prompt criticality leading to large mechanical energy release can be prevented in the initiating phase of the current design.