COMPUTATION OF EX-CORE DETECTOR WEIGHTING

FUNCTIONS FOR VVER-440 USING MCNP5

G. Farkas, J. Lipka, J. Haščík, V. Slugeň
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology,
Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering, Ilkovičova 3, 812 19 Bratislava, Slovakia

MOTIVATION
Precise whole-core model of the VVER-440 was

As it is well known, the contribution of fuel assemblies to the developed in MCNP5
ex-core detector response depends not only on the power, but
also on the position of the given assembly in the core.
The model enables:

Precise knowledge of the spatial weighting functions can be • to define any core loading pattern
very beneficial for solving of various reactor physical,
operational, and safety problems. It can be useful for proper • to define axial and radial profile of fuel nuclide
interpretation of the startup test measurements, calculation of composition as well as coolant
ex-core detector response in deep subcritical reactor states, temperature/density
evaluation of influence of the core loading pattern on the profile in the core
detector response, etc.
• to specify temperature profile of the in-vessel and

A very important application area is the reactor safety analysis. ex-vessel reactor components
In this case the elaborate weighting functions can be helpful in
investigating how effectively certain transients which cause a
sudden change in the power density distribution can be
detected by the ex-core detectors. Model of FA in MCNP5 Fuel part of the CA in MCNP5 Absorber part of the CA in
MCNP5

Problem of the weighting functions head

head with the head
joining structure

As it is well known, the contribution of fuel assemblies to the ex-core mixing grid

detector response depends not only on the power, but also on the steel column
casing

position of the given assembly in the core. fuel pins

boron inserts

spacer grid

The spatial weighting function gives a relationship between the spacer grid
central tube
fuel pins
spatial power distribution in of
Problem the core and
weighting the ex-core detector
functions casing

response. supporting grid casing

supporting grid
bottom
Ex-core detector response: W i – weighting factor of i-th volume element
D = C ⋅ P ⋅ ∫ p0 ( r )w ( r )dV Pi - corresponding relative power bottom part bottom

V
Volume element – the twentieth of fuel pin height
Numerical solution

D ≅ C ⋅ P ⋅ ∑ PiWi
i Method of calculation
SCORPIO, BIPR,… MCNP
• Calculation performed by the so named Fix Source method
• Source region boundaries → cover all of the fuel pin elements with W i > 0,5 % W i,max
• Calculation of W i only in the source fuel pins → quasi-regular grid
Spatial weighting function
[w(r)] • Required uncertainty of the MC calculation < 3,5 % (for peripheral pins < 1,0 %)
Element of fuel pin
Ex-core
Core Ex-core detector
[p0(r)] detector Source
12.2 cm

[D] region
Calculation of
Scattering and weighting
absorption Weighting factors
region function

+y

Ex-core
detector
CPNB44

+x

RESULTS – AXIAL WEIGHTING FUNCTIONS RESULTS – HORIZONTAL WEIGHTING FACTORS

Total number of calculated source fuel pins ⇒ 193 (3860 volume elements)
At average, 3 - 4 source pins were calculated for each FA, except core
1,2
periphery where 5 – 7 pins per FA were computed.
(-11,4,070) MCNP
(-11,4,070) Aproximácia
(-10,4,065) MCNP
1,0 (-10,4,065) Aproximácia Source pins
(-4,-7,127) MCNP (MCNP)
(-4,-7,127) Aproximácia
Relatívny váhový faktor

(-8,6,065) MCNP
0,8 20
(-8,6,065) Aproximácia

0,6 11 15 20
Source 15
fuel pin
0,4
11

Representative 0,2
Representative
fuel assembly fuel pin
0,0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Vrstva

• The shapes of approximation curves

The proposed polynomial function: w a ( z ) = a0 + a1z + ... + aM z M
correspond to the theoretically expected 4,79-7 3,00-6
2,5E-08
(-8,6,065) MCNP
1,8E-06

1,6E-06
(-10,4,065) MCNP
(-10,4,065) Fit
weighting factor distribution in vertical 1,67-8
8,04-8
1,45%
1,52-7
1,93-7
1,97%
1,27%

4,09-7
1,07-6
1,45%
0,53%

2,41-6
5,88-6
0,66%
Weighting contribution of the
(-8,6,065) Fit
(-10,4,001) MCNP
direction. closest 20 peripheral FA to the
2, 28% 1, 14% 1,50% 1,04%

(-10,4,001) Fit 5,91-8 1,48-7 7,82-7

2,0E-08 1,4E-06 2,53% 1,83%
M=6 (-10,4,058) MCNP
1,96%

1,2E-06
(-10,4,058) Fit

1,04-7 2,72-7 1,63-6

4,12-6
0,44%
8,47-6
ex-core detector response
Váhový faktor

represents 92 % from the sum of

0,72% 0,66%
Váhový faktor

1,54% 1,71%
1,5E-08 M=8
1,0E-06
• Shapes of distribution curves in 2,07-8
2, 26%

7,79-8
2,10-7
1, 13%
2,09-7
6,02-7
1,82%
1,21-6
3,68-6
1,02%

1,0E-08
8,0E-07
dependence on source pin positions
1,91% 2,14% 1,51%

6,77-6
the core weighting factor values
0,82%
6,0E-07 1,47-7 4,21-7 2,65-6 1,46-5

5,0E-09
4,0E-07
show transient character between a 3,02-8
2, 34%
1,53%
3,19-7
1,09%
1,62%
9,65-7
1,67%
1,15%
6,36-6
0,89%
0,59%

In the closest region to the ex-

3,37-7 2,07-6

2,0E-07 typical „bell” curve (close pins) and “arc” 1,87% 1,57%

1,17-5
core detector, in the direction
0,78%

0,0E+00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
0,0E+00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
curve (distant pins). 4,66-8
3,36-7
1,41%
5,13-7
7,00-7
1,36%
1,57-6
4,59-6
0,65%
1,11-5
2,69-5
0, 48% from the maximum weight
position to the core centre,
2, 16% 0,99% 1,46% 0,74%
Vrstva Vrstva 1,86-7 5,84-7 3,56-6 1,98-5
1,41% 1,56% 1,32% 0, 33%
7,02-6
6,0E-07

M=4
(-4,-7,127) MCNP
(-4,-7,127) Fit
(-4,-7,121) MCNP
3,0E-05
M=8
(-11,4,070) MCNP
(-11,4,070) Fit
CONCLUSION 1
3,86-7 1,15-6
1,07%
approximately eight-fold
11 decrease of weighting factor
(-11,4,065) MCNP 7,58-8
1,57% 1,40%
(-4,-7,121) Fit 8,61-7 2,63-6
5,0E-07 (-11,4,065) Fit 1,53% 1,13% 1,20% CPNB44
(-4,-7,065) MCNP
(-4,-7,065) Fit
2,5E-05 (-11,4,058) MCNP 1 3,08-7 9,23-7

(-4,-7,058) MCNP
(-11,4,058) Fit
(-11,4,127) MCNP
1,79% 1,58%

4,70-6
values is observed
4,0E-07 (-4,-7,058) Fit
(-4,-7,001) MCNP
2,0E-05 (-11,4,127) Fit
• Complex whole-core model of VVER-440 was 0,83%
Váhový faktor

(-11,4,121) MCNP 1,87-6 9,88-6

Váhový faktor

(-4,-7,001) Fit
(-11,4,121) Fit
3,0E-07 1,5E-05
(-11,4,007) MCNP
(-11,4,007) Fit
developed in MCNP5 and applied for solving of
The proposed horizontal weighting function have a character of exponential K L 
(-11,4,001) MCNP
(-11,4,001) Fit various reactor-physical problems. w ( x, y) = exp ∑∑ aij x i y j 
2,0E-07 1,0E-05 polynomial function of the 3rd - 8th order of magnitude, generally expressed by: h  i =0 j =0 
1,0E-07 5,0E-06
• Determination of weighting factors and The following specific form can be designed:
0,0E+00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
0,0E+00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
weighting functions was performed for selected wh ( x , y ) = exp( a0 + a1 x + a2 y + a3 x 2 + a4 xy + a5 y 2 + a6 x 3 + a7 y 3 + a8 x 4 + a9 y 4 + a10 x 5 + a11 y 5 + a12 x 6 + a13 y 6 )
Vrstva Vrstva
source range ex-core detector (NPP Bohunice)