Benchmark calculations on control rod withdrawal tests performed during Phenix End-of-Life experiments

Pascal, V.*; Prulhire, G.*; Fontaine, B.*; Devan, K.*; Chellapandi, P.*; Kriventsev, V.*; Monti, S.*; Mikityuk, K.*; Semenov, M.*; Taiwo, T.*; Takano, Kazuya ; Tiberi, V.*

The control rod withdrawal test was one of the various Phenix End-of-Life tests performed in 2009. The main goal was to determine the impact of a rod insertion and/or extraction on the radial power distribution in the fissile core at nominal power. The framework of the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR) activities in IAEA, decided to launch a Coordinated Research Project (CRP), devoted to benchmarking analyses on the test. The CRP was performed by experts coming from CEA, ANL, IGCAR, IPPE, IRSN, JAEA, KIT and PSI. After a short description of the test conducted in the Phenix reactor, this paper presents some results obtained in the course of the CRP with special emphasis on control rod efficiencies and power deformation by subassemblies. The paper also discusses the discrepancies found when comparing calculated results with experimental data as well as some preliminary conclusions on the source of these discrepancies.