VVER-1000 Benchmark Interpretation with Monte Carlo Code MCS

Abstract

An interpretation of the NEA-1517/82 benchmark from the SINBAD shielding database has been conducted with the MCS Monte Carlo code developed at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and the ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data library. The NEA-1517/82 benchmark corresponds to experiments on a VVER-1000 critical mock-up (thermal reactor with hexagonal fuel lattice) inside the LR-0 research reactor operated by the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in the Czech Republic. A new 3D model of the VVER-1000 mock-up core is developed for MCS based on the SINBAD documentation. The model includes the top and bottom parts of fuel pins, the spacer grids and core components: baffle, barrel, downcomer, tank, reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and concrete block used as biological shielding. The quality of the model is verified first by code/code comparison of MCS against MCNP6 for criticality and power distributions (pin-by-pin and axial power). The validation of MCS results is then performed against six critical cases, 260 measured pin powers and benchmark calculations of the axial power profile. Finally, a comparison of calculated and measured neutron spectra inside the mock-up core is presented as a preliminary study for upcoming works on the deep-penetration shielding capability of MCS.