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At least 109 records · Page 6

Serpent - Bison - THM Preliminary Multiphysics Modeling of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion System Fuel Assembly

This work demonstrates the Monte Carlo neutronic and Thermo-Hydraulic coupling scheme using the Serpent code and MOOSE application Bison and Thermo Hydraulic Module. The coupling scheme is then applied to the reference BWX Technologies Nuclear Ther- mal Propulsion system at he fuel assembly level where it’s used to perform an analysis of the isothermal material coefficients and potential material reactivity worth. A method is developed to isolate which feedback effects should be considered for proceeding with reduced order deterministic neutronic modeling where branch off analysis must be con- ducted. The convergence behavior of the coupling scheme is demonstrated where it fol- lows the standard Picard iteration approach. Verification studies for the method of deduc- ing relevant feedback effects is also demonstrated.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Interpretation of 3D void measurements with Tripoli4.6/JEFF3.1.1 Monte Carlo code

The present work details the first analysis of the 3D void phase conducted during the EPICURE/UM17x17/7% mixed UOX/MOX configuration. This configuration is composed of a homogeneous central 17x17 MOX-7% assembly, surrounded by portions of 17x17 1102 assemblies with guide-tubes. The void bubble is modelled by a small waterproof 5x5 fuel pin parallelepiped box of 11 cm height, placed in the centre of the MOX assembly. This bubble, initially placed at the core mid-plane, is then moved in different axial positions to study the evolution in the core of the axial perturbation. Then, to simulate the growing of this bubble in order to understand the effects of increased void fraction along the fuel pin, 3 and 5 bubbles have been stacked axially, from the core mid-plane. The C/E comparison obtained with the Monte Carlo code Tripoli4 for both radial and axial fission rate distributions, and in particular the reproduction of the very important flux gradients at the void/water interfaces, changing as the bubble is displaced along the z-axis are very satisfactory. It demonstrates both the capability of the code and its library to reproduce this kind of situation, as the very good quality of the experimental results, confirming the UM-17x17 as an excellent experimental benchmark for 3D code validation. This work has been performed within the frame of the V and V program for the future APOLL03 deterministic code of CEA starting in 2012, and its V and V benchmarking database. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Status of the OECD/NEA Watts Bar unit 1 benchmark and calculations of local reactor core power data of the Zero Power physics tests

The paper aims to provide an update on the status of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) / the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Watts Bar 1 (WB1) Multi-Physics Multi-Cycle depletion benchmark and the results associated with Exercise 1. The benchmark relies on the set of benchmark progression problems developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Consortium for the Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) for the Virtual Environment for Reactor (VERA), which are based on real plant design and operational data. The OECD/NEA TVA WB1 benchmark is designed for validation of both traditional and novel high-fidelity multi-physics codes to analyze Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) depletion cycles. The activities are conducted under the Expert Group on Reactor Systems Multi-Physics (EGMUP) at NEA/OECD. In this work, we analyze Exercise 1 of the benchmark: stand-alone Three-Dimensional (3D) neutronics at Start-up Zero Power Physics Test (ZPPT) at Hot Zero Power Conditions (HZP) and the resulting power maps. The code used to model the exercise is the continuous energy Monte Carlo code Serpent 2.1.31 along with the nuclear data library ENDF/B-VII.1. Serpent results are compared with the high-fidelity deterministic code MPACT, which is part of VERA. The paper presents three selected results from power calculations required output. The results compared are the normalized axially integrated radial core power maps, the normalized axial averaged core power shapes, and the normalized core hottest and coldest assemblies radial power maps. The Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) between Serpent and MPACT is 0.51 % for the axially integrated radial core power map, 1.41 % for the axial averaged core power shape, 2.42 % for the hottest assembly axial power shape, 0.88 % for the coldest assembly axial integrated hottest assembly radial pin power map, and 0.17 % for the axially integrated coldest assembly radial pin power map. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Data and scripts associated with “Non-random processes impacting organic matter chemistry are maximized in mid-order streams”

NOTE: The manuscript associated with this data package is currently in review. The data may be revised based on reviewer feedback. Upon manuscript acceptance, this data package will be updated with the final dataset and additional metadata. This data package is associated with the publication “Non-random processes impacting organic matter chemistry are maximized in mid-order streams” submitted to Limnology and Oceanography (L&O) by Danczak et al. (in review). This package contains data and scripts used to investigate dissolved organic matter (DOM) molecular chemistry and diversification processes across 47 surface-water sampling sites in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA, during an August 2021 sampling campaign. The package contains analyses of ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), geochemical measurements, geospatial attributes, molecular diversity, and meta-metabolome ecological null models needed to reproduce the main manuscript results. The underlying field data were pulled from exising data packages at https://doi.org/10.15485/1892052 (Fulton et al., 2022) and https://doi.org/10.15485/1898914 (Grieger et al., 2022). For details on how to navigate data packages generated by this project, see https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/PNNLRiverCorridorSFA/About. We thank the following organizations for providing access to field locations for sample collection: the United States Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Natural Resources, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory. Research was conducted under Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Scientific Research Permit #210901. We are grateful to the Yakama Nation Tribal Council and Yakama Nation Fisheries for their collaboration in facilitating sample collection and ensuring data usage aligns with their values and worldview. This data package contains an R-Markdown file for analyses and five folders: (1) Data, (2) Geospatial Data, (3) Supplemental_Files, (5) Figures_pdf, (4) and src. The Data folder contains tabular inputs and derived files used in the manuscript analysis. The Geospatial Data folder contains climate and water-balance, hydrologic, land-cover, population/regional water-use, stream, topographic, and stream-order attribute CSV files. The src folder contains scripts used to process data, run analyses, and generate figures. The Figures_pdf folder contains manuscript figure outputs. The Supplemental_Files folder contains supplemental analysis products. All files are .csv, .pdf, .html, .png, .R, .Rmd, .svg, or .tre. This data package is associated with the rcfsa-RC2-SPS_Null_Modeling repository found at https://github.com/river-corridors-sfa/rcfsa-RC2-SPS_Null_Modeling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Deterministic Integration of Biological and Soft Materials onto 3D Microscale Cellular Frameworks

Complex 3D organizations of materials represent ubiquitous structural motifs found in the most sophisticated forms of matter, the most notable of which are in life-sustaining hierarchical structures found in biology, but where simpler examples also exist as dense multilayered constructs in high-performance electronics. Each class of system evinces specific enabling forms of assembly to establish their functional organization at length scales not dissimilar to tissue-level constructs. Furthermore, this study describes materials and means of assembly that extend and join these disparate systems—schemes for the functional integration of soft and biological materials with synthetic 3D microscale, open frameworks that can leverage the most advanced forms of multilayer electronic technologies, including device-grade semiconductors such as monocrystalline silicon. Cellular migration behaviors, temporal dependencies of their growth, and contact guidance cues provided by the nonplanarity of these frameworks illustrate design criteria useful for their functional integration with living matter (e.g., NIH 3T3 fibroblast and primary rat dorsal root ganglion cell cultures).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Deterministic modelling of the SPERT IV reactor transients using the multi-physics capability of WIMS

The ANSWERS WIMS reactor physics code is being developed for whole core multi-physics modelling. The established neutronics capability for lattice calculations has recently been extended to be suitable for whole core modelling of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). A whole core transport, SP3 or diffusion flux solution is combined with fuel assembly resonance shielding. An integrated thermal hydraulic solver permits temperature and density variations to feedback to the neutronics calculation. This capability can be applied to both steady state and time dependent transient problems. Nuclear reactor design and safety case development requires assessment of a range of reactor transients, to inform both normal operation limitations and accident scenario analysis. This paper presents new methodology developed in WIMS to couple the core neutronics to the integrated core thermal hydraulics solver for the simulation of reactor transients in whole core models. To support the validation of the multi-physics capability of WIMS, this capability has been applied to the reactivity insertion transient experiments performed in the plate fuelled SPERT-IV reactor. This study employs WIMS using the whole core solver MERLIN, which calculates the time-dependent flux distribution and magnitude, coupled to ARTHUR, which solves for the time-dependent thermal hydraulics solution, and provides thermal feedback via the cross sections generated by GEOM, which performs resonance shielding calculations and generates cross section data for the plate geometry. This spatial kinetics model, with dynamic cross section generation, allows for variations in the temperature and neutron flux profile with time.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Development of a high-fidelity multi-physics coupling between MCNP6.2 and CTF4.0 for VVER applications

Ensuring system safety in the design, licensing, and operation phases is a priority in the nuclear industry. Performing extensive, full-scale reactor safety experiments is often prohibitive due to the large associated costs. Computational simulations offer an alternative safety analysis method, typically with significant cost reductions. Recent high-level developments in technology and increased availability of computational resources have allowed the development of high-fidelity, high-resolution multi-physics coupled codes. Such developments may be used to generate reference models for deterministic core calculations. Under this framework, the high-fidelity continuous energy Monte Carlo-based neutron transport code MCNP6.2 was coupled externally with the state-of-the-art thermal-hydraulics subchannel code, CTF4.0 for VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) applications. A VVER-1000 fuel assembly model was used to demonstrate the capability of the coupled code. The converged coupled solution is compared to initial results, consisting of the first MCNP evaluation and first CTF evaluation after initialization. The VVER-1000 type assembly results are compared to other evaluations of the same assembly model. The findings indicate good agreement with expectations and reference cases, where available. The initial results of the coupled MCNP6.2/CTF4.0 calculations at the assembly level for steady-state calculations are presented in this study, which may support future work toward high-fidelity coupled full-core modeling capabilities. The multi-physics model may be further improved, enhanced, and expanded for both cycle depletion and transient applications. Such a multi-physics system will also be applicable to the VVER-1200 and other triangular lattice designs and support their deployment and operation safely and economically. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Apparent Monte Carlo Source Convergence Problem with BWR Fuel Depleted with Partial Control Blade Insertion

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have initiated a multiyear project to investigate application of burnup credit (BUC) to boiling-water reactor (BWR) fuel in storage and transportation casks and spent fuel pools (SFPs). Ideally, a single combination of all operating parameters including moderator density and axial burnup profiles, control blade exposure, and others can be identified to allow a simple, bounding approach to BWR BUC. One aspect of this investigation involves examining the effect of control blade insertion during operation on discharged assembly reactivity. In the course of these calculations, an apparent source convergence problem was discovered for fuel that has experienced partial blade insertion for the entire lifetime of the assembly. The source convergence problem appears not to impact k{sub eff}, but it manifests in predictions of the axial fission density profile. This phenomenon is of interest in identifying areas of concern with BWR BUC since it has not been studied as thoroughly as BUC for pressurized-water (PWR) reactor fuel. There may also be interest in this configuration for further study of a realistic source Monte Carlo convergence problem as opposed to some earlier manufactured source convergence problems through careful selection of initial conditions. This summary presents the depletion conditions used to generate the problem, a description of the models, a background based on well-behaved calculations, the identification of the problem, and attempts made to resolve the problem. Only a brief description of the depletion conditions and models is possible within the limited scope of this summary. Finally, conclusions are presented. This summary identifies a source convergence problem in the process of investigating BUC for BWR spent fuel. The depletion scenario which created the depleted fuel and burnable absorber compositions included a control blade inserted in the bottom 14 nodes throughout the entire depletion. This insertion is slightly over half the length of the assembly, and it appears to create two regions of nearly equal reactivity. As expected, one region is near the top of the assembly, and the other region is near the middle of the assembly. This node includes significant {sup 239}Pu generation as a result of rodded operation, but it is also the top node of the full lattice zone. While the calculated k{sub eff} values appear to be statistically equivalent, the axial neutron production profile varies significantly among independent simulations of the same model. A range of standard approaches has been used to attempt to resolve the source convergence problem and determine the true axial neutron production profile. This profile is of interest in cask criticality safety analysis because it influences the interaction among assemblies loaded in the cask. The forthcoming SCALE 6.2 release will include source convergence testing based on Shannon entropy, which may assist in identifying these types of problems in the future. It should be noted that this source convergence problem results from the depletion conditions and the final distribution of fissile and absorber material within the discharged fuel assembly. The results, while entirely generated within the SCALE code system, are representative of any Monte Carlo program attempting to calculate k{sub eff} for such a system. The most important conclusion of this work is that the BUC criticality safety community must be aware of the potential for this type of source convergence problem. Analysts must approach such partially rodded scenarios with caution and critically examine the results. Fortunately, it is extremely unlikely that BWR assemblies would experience the bladed operation necessary to create this particular source convergence problem. These results may also have some bearing on the analysis of PWR BUC for new plant designs such as AP1000 that incorporate significant rodded operations. In a broader context, the source convergence problem identified here could have been magnified if it had occurred in a Monte Carlo depletion simulation. It may be possible to identify this type of problem in a depletion calculation by comparing the apparently converged fluxes between steps to ensure that no oscillations or other serious shifts are occurring. The depletion calculations performed in this work were performed with a two-dimensional deterministic code and are therefore not subject to this problem. These results may also raise questions about the validity of 2D depletion models with extruded geometry in the 3D k{sub eff} calculation. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Accuracy of predictions made by machine learned models for biocrude yields obtained from hydrothermal liquefaction of organic wastes

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) has potential for converting abundant wet organic wastes into renewable fuels. Because HTL consists of a complex reaction network, deterministic, physics-based prediction of its biocrude yield is prohibitively difficult. Data-driven methods provide an alternative to the physics-based approach; however, rigorous testing must be performed to ensure the accuracy of predictions made by data-driven methods. To this end, a data set was assembled consisting of 570 data points appearing in the open literature. The data set was divided into training, validation, and test sub-sets and used for evaluating different machine learning regression approaches to predict biocrude yield. Among the tested algorithms, Random Forest and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) predicted biocrude yields in a test set that had not been used for training with the greatest accuracy, with root mean square errors (RMSE) of 8.34 and 8.57, respectively. Further refinement of the Random Forest model reduced its RMSE to 8.07. In comparison, predictions of a series of literature models resulted in RMSE ranging from 9.16 in the most accurate case to 27.6 in the least accurate; most literature models yielded RMSE values > 10. Using biocrude yield predictions from the most accurate Random Forest model and a probabilistic economic analysis found that the model accuracy is sufficient to prioritize allocation of resources based on projected minimum fuel selling price. In our report the models and analysis represent a major advance in the ability to use readily available data to predict biocrude yields on new feedstocks that have not previously been studied.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Overlapping local/global iteration framework for whole-core transport solution

In current practice of reactor design analysis, whole-core diffusion nodal method is used in which nodal parameters are provided by single-assembly lattice physics calculation with net current zero boundary condition. Thus, the whole-core solution is not transport, because the inter-assembly transport effect is not incorporated. In this paper, the overlapping local/global iteration framework is described that removes the limitation of the current method. It consists of two-level iterative computations: half-node overlapping local problems embedded in a global problem. The local problem can employ fine-group deterministic or continuous-energy stochastic (Monte Carlo) transport methods, while the global problem is an equivalent coarse-group transport model based on p-CMFD methodology. The method is tested on several highly heterogeneous multi-slab problems with encouraging results. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Needle bacterial community structure across the species range of limber pine

Abstract Bacteria on and inside leaves can influence forest tree health and resilience. The distribution and limits of a tree species’ range can be influenced by various factors, with biological interactions among the most significant. We investigated the processes shaping the bacterial needle community across the species distribution of limber pine, a widespread Western conifer inhabiting a range of extreme habitats. We tested four hypotheses: (i) Needle community structure varies across sites, with site-specific factors more important to microbial assembly than host species selection; (ii) dispersal limitation structures foliar communities across the range of limber pine; (iii) the relative significance of dispersal and selection differs across sites in the tree species range; and (iv) needle age structures bacterial communities. We characterized needle communities from the needle surface and tissue of limber pine and co-occurring conifers across 16 sites in the limber pine distribution. Our findings confirmed that site characteristics shape the assembly of bacterial communities across the host species range and showed that these patterns are not driven by dispersal limitation. Furthermore, the strength of selection by the host varied by site, possibly due to differences in available microbes. Our study, by focusing on trees in their natural setting, reveals real needle bacterial dynamics in forests, which is key to understanding the balance between stochastic and deterministic processes in shaping forest tree-microbe interactions. Such understanding will be necessary to predict or manipulate these interactions to support forest ecosystem productivity or assist plant migration and adaptation in the face of global change.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Global variance reduction for Monte Carlo reactor physics calculations

Over the past few decades, hybrid Monte-Carlo-Deterministic (MC-DT) techniques have been mostly focusing on the development of techniques primarily with shielding applications in mind, i.e. problems featuring a limited number of responses. This paper focuses on the application of a new hybrid MC-DT technique: the SUBSPACE method, for reactor analysis calculation. The SUBSPACE method is designed to overcome the lack of efficiency that hampers the application of MC methods in routine analysis calculations on the assembly level where typically one needs to execute the flux solver in the order of 10{sup 3}-10{sup 5} times. It places high premium on attaining high computational efficiency for reactor analysis application by identifying and capitalizing on the existing correlations between responses of interest. This paper places particular emphasis on using the SUBSPACE method for preparing homogenized few-group cross section sets on the assembly level for subsequent use in full-core diffusion calculations. A BWR assembly model is employed to calculate homogenized few-group cross sections for different burn-up steps. It is found that using the SUBSPACE method significant speedup can be achieved over the state of the art FW-CADIS method. While the presented speed-up alone is not sufficient to render the MC method competitive with the DT method, we believe this work will become a major step on the way of leveraging the accuracy of MC calculations for assembly calculations. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Disentangling Mechanisms That Mediate the Balance Between Stochastic and Deterministic Processes in Microbial Succession

Despite growing recognition that deterministic and stochastic factors simultaneously influence bacterial communities, little is known about mechanisms shifting their relative importance. To better understand underlying mechanisms, we developed a conceptual model linking ecosystem development during primary succession to shifts in the stochastic/deterministic balance. To evaluate the conceptual model we coupled spatiotemporal data on soil bacterial communities with environmental conditions spanning 105 years of salt marsh development. At the local scale there was a progression from stochasticity to determinism due to Na accumulation with increasing ecosystem age, supporting a main element of the conceptual model. At the regional-scale, soil organic matter (SOM) governed the relative influence of stochasticity and the type of deterministic ecological selection, suggesting scale-dependency in how deterministic ecological selection is imposed. Analysis of a new ecological simulation model supported these conceptual inferences. Looking forward, we propose an extended conceptual model that integrates primary and secondary succession in microbial systems.

bacterial succession↗

Study of secondary neutron interactions with 232 Th, 129 I, and 127 I nuclei with the uranium assembly “QUINTA” at 2, 4, and 8GeV deuteron beams of the JINR Nuclotron accelerator

The natural uranium assembly, “QUINTA”, was irradiated with 2, 4, and 8 GeV deuterons. The 232 Th, 127 I, and 129 I samples have been exposed to secondary neutrons produced in the assembly at a 20-cm radial distance from the deuteron beam axis. The spectra of gamma rays emitted by the activated 232 Th, 127 I, and 129 I samples have been analyzed and several tens of product nuclei have been identified. For each of those products, neutron-induced reaction rates have been determined. The transmutation power for the 129 I samples is estimated. Furthermore, experimental results were compared to those calculated with well-known stochastic and deterministic codes.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Development of Subspace-based Hybrid Monte Carlo-Deterministric Algorithms for Reactor Physics Calculations

The development of hybrid Monte-Carlo-Deterministic (MC-DT) approaches, taking place over the past few decades, have primarily focused on shielding and detection applications where the analysis requires a small number of responses, i.e. at the detector locations(s). This work further develops a recently introduced global variance reduction approach, denoted by the SUBSPACE approach is designed to allow the use of MC simulation, currently limited to benchmarking calculations, for routine engineering calculations. By way of demonstration, the SUBSPACE approach is applied to assembly level calculations used to generate the few-group homogenized cross-sections. These models are typically expensive and need to be executed in the order of 10 3 - 10 5 times to properly characterize the few-group cross-sections for downstream core-wide calculations. Applicability to k-eigenvalue core-wide models is also demonstrated in this work. Given the favorable results obtained in this work, we believe the applicability of the MC method for reactor analysis calculations could be realized in the near future.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Supercooling of Hydrogen on Template Materials to Deterministically Seed Ignition-Quality Solid Fuel Layers

In this study, we explored templating effects of various materials for hydrogen (H 2 and D 2 ) solidification by measuring the degree of supercooling required for liquid hydrogen to solidify below each triple point. The results show high supercooling (>100 mK) for most metallic, covalent, and ionic solids, and low supercooling (<100 mK) for van der Waals (vdW) solids. We attribute the low supercooling of vdW solids to the weak interaction of the substrate and hydrogen. Highly ordered pyrolytic graphite showed the lowest supercooling among materials that are solid at room temperature, but did not exhibit a templating effect within a fill-tube and capsule assembly.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Large-Area Periodic Arrays of Atomically Flat Single-Crystal Gold Nanotriangles Formed Directly on Substrate Surfaces

The advancement of nanoenabled wafer-based devices requires the establishment of core competencies related to the deterministic positioning of nanometric building blocks over large areas. Within this realm, plasmonic single-crystal gold nanotriangles represent one of the most attractive nanoscale components but where the formation of addressable arrays at scale has heretofore proven impracticable. In this work, a benchtop process is presented for the formation of large-area periodic arrays of gold nanotriangles. The devised growth pathway sees the formation of an array of defect-laden seeds using lithographic and vapor-phase assembly processes followed by their placement in a growth solution promoting planar growth and threefold symmetric side-faceting. The nanotriangles formed in this high-yield synthesis distinguish themselves in that they are epitaxially aligned with the underlying substrate, grown to thicknesses that are not readily obtainable in colloidal syntheses, and present atomically flat pristine surfaces exhibiting gold atoms with a close-packed structure. As such, they express crisp and unambiguous plasmonic modes and form photoactive surfaces with highly tunable and readily modeled plasmon resonances. The devised methods, hence, advance the integration of single-crystal gold nanotriangles into device platforms and provide an overall fabrication strategy that is adaptable to other nanomaterials.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Development of a three-dimensional APOLLO3 neutrons deterministic scheme for the CABRI reactor

CABRI is an experimental reactor to study the fuel behavior during reactivity injection transients. These transients being highly multiphysics, the development of suitable modeling and simulation tools to simulate them is important for the optimization of the tests and the control of the experimental conditions. This paper focuses on the development of an APOLLO3 deterministic core calculation tool dedicated to the CABRI transient analysis. It represents the first stage of the incremental process for the implementation of a multiphysics time-dependent modeling of the CABRI transient. The neutron calculation scheme is based on a classical two-step approach. The first step consists of a 281-energy group calculation flux with the TDT-MOC (Method Of Characteristics) solver for cross-section space and energy (23 groups) collapsing for the CABRI different assembly clusters. The bias on a 2D core neutron calculation due to the self-shielding calculation and collapsing on a restricted pattern are investigated thanks to a comparison with a direct full 2D calculation on a quarter of core. The second step relies on a pin-resolved transport 3D transport core calculation with the SN solver MINARET. A progressive numerical validation process is followed to quantify the calculation biases on reactivity and reaction rates at each step using reference calculations with the stochastic code TRIPOLI4. The next development stage toward a multiphysics scheme will be the implementation of the 3D-kinetics equation resolution and the coupling with a core thermal-hydraulics model. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗