Analysis of High Moderation PWR MOX Core MISTRAL-4 with SRAC and MVP

Abstract

An extensive experimental program, MISTRAL, is undertaken by NUPEC and CEA in order to measure the main core physics parameters of high moderation 100% MOX LWRs. The analysis of the MISTRAL-4, a mock-up of a full MOX PWR core was carried out by diffusion/transport calculations with the SRAC code system and by continuous-energy Monte Carlo calculations with the MVP code. The calculation results agreed with the experimental results of both calculations within experimental uncertainties and calculation results showed no specific trend caused by heterogeneity in highly-moderated mock-up core configurations.

Keywords:

• MISTRAL
• LWR
• highly moderated core
• full-MOX core
• mock-up core
• critical experiment
• criticality
• power distribution
• absorber cluster
• SRAC
• MVP