Simulation of CANDU Fuel Pin Thermal Response to RIA Power Pulse

Abstract

An excursion in reactor power resulting from an increase in void reactivity is known as a power pulse. A large Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) database is available from experiments conducted with Light Water and Pressurized Water Reactor (LWR/PWR) fuels. This current study was undertaken to assess the applicability of this data for use in validating computer code predictions under CANDU reactor conditions. The study demonstrates that using short duration LWR/PWR power pulse data, with the same amount of specific energy deposition, is conservative with respect to fuel centre line temperature increases in comparison to using long duration CANDU power-pulse data.