Development, Verification, and Validation of an Advanced Systems Code KP-SAM for Kairos Power Fluoride Salt–Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (KP-FHR)

Abstract

To meet the Kairos Power (KP) Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor (FHR) (KP-FHR) development and commercialization schedules, the System Analysis Module (SAM), which is an advanced systems code for Generation IV liquid-cooled reactors developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has been selected as the basis for the development of the KP-FHR systems code KP-SAM. This allows for an accelerated joint development effort between the KP and ANL teams. This paper presents a general overview of the KP-SAM development process, its current status, completed verification, and ongoing validation efforts. KP-SAM development follows the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Evaluation Model Development and Assessment Process framework. SAM is a high-order fully implicit transient systems code written in C++. The SAM software design, major physical models, and Jacobian Free Newton Krylov–based numerical methods are briefly discussed. KP-SAM has matured enough to be used for the unvalidated demonstration safety analysis for the low-power KP-FHR test reactor (Hermes) as part of Preliminary Safety Analysis Report work. By following the guidance of an internal KP-FHR thermal fluid Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table report, some of the most important separate-effects-test validations were completed for the first iteration. A scaled integral-effects test is under detailed design and will be built in 2022 to provide key data to validate KP-SAM for licensing safety analysis.

Keywords:

• KP-FHR
• KP-SAM
• systems code
• validation

Acknowledgments

Kairos Power’s mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal of dramatically improving people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. Even though KP is fully funded with private sources, we benefit from close collaborations with our partners at U.S. national laboratories such as ANL, Idaho National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and others. We appreciate the funding support from the DOE Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear program, DOE Technology Commercialization Fund program, DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement Award to KP, and the DOE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program award for risk reduction funding for Hermes.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).