Computer Programs
IAEA1273 EXCURS-3-RR.
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IAEA1273 EXCURS-3-RR.

EXCURS-3-RR, Kinetics of Research Reactor Reactivity Transient Analysis

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1. NAME OR DESIGNATION OF PROGRAM:  EXCURS-3-RR.
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2. COMPUTERS

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Program name Package id Status Status date
EXCURS-3-RR IAEA1273/01 Arrived 03-APR-2001

Machines used:

Package ID Orig. computer Test computer
IAEA1273/01 DEC VAX series
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3. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM OR FUNCTION

EXCURS-3-RR is a kinetic computer code for simulating reactivity and loss of flow accidents in MTR research reactors and in sodium cooled fast reactors. EXCURS-3-RR is a new version of the EXCURS-3 code. It is based on a  coupling of neutron point kinetics and thermal hydraulics equations, with adjusted reactivity feedbacks. The thermohydraulics reactor behavior is determined by solving the one-dimensional heat conduction equation, with forced heat convection boundary condition. The calculations are restricted to a single equivalent unit cell which consists of fuel, clad and coolant.
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4. METHOD OF SOLUTION

The transient power is calculated by solving a
set of neutron kinetics equations, with known reactivity. The numerical is performed using the modified Runge-Kutta-Gill method. The external reactivity insertion specified as a function of times,  is given in the input data file, and the amount of feedback and control reactivity contributions calculated by the code are then added to the total system reactivity. Following this, the neutron density (or power), the energy release and delayed neutron precursor densities (of a maximum of six groups) are obtained at each time step.
The reactivity Feedbacks taken into account are Doppler, fuel, clad and moderator expansion effects. To EXCURS-3-RR, we have introduced new models to determine the transient TRIP time and the control rod reactivity insertion as function of time. A new thermal-hydraulics model specially tailored to fuel plate elements was also added, including temperature dependent cell material physical properties. The resolution of the corresponding set of conduction equations is performed using the Gauss elimination method.
Assessment studies of the code have been made using the International Atomic Energy Agency 10 MW Benchmark cores for protected transients. These studies have shown a quite good agreement between the results predicted by the EXCURS-3-RR code and  more sophisticated codes, such as PARET.
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5. RESTRICTIONS ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROBLEM

The coolant is considered in liquid phase during all the transient. Cell axial subdivision number can not exceed 20 nodes.
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6. TYPICAL RUNNING TIME

Less than 2 mm CPU time are necessary for the sample problem related to a fast reactivity insertion.
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7. UNUSUAL FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM

This code is particularly useful when dealing with first order estimation of research reactor power after reactivity changes or perturbations.
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8. RELATED AND AUXILIARY PROGRAMS

EXCURS-3-RR is a new version of the EXCURS-3 code. This later, developed on CDC6600, was modified and converted to VAX-750 work station.
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9. STATUS
Package ID Status date Status
IAEA1273/01 03-APR-2001 Masterfiled Arrived
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10. REFERENCES

- B. Baggoura and T. Hamidouche:
  EXCURS-3RR - A Point Kinetic Computer Code for Reactivity
  Transient Analysis in Nuclear Research Reactors
  C.D.S.E./D.P.S.S.E. (1992) report to be published.
- S. Saito and al:
  EXCURS-3 - A Program for Reactivity Transient
  JAERI-memo-4444.
- E.R. Cohen:
  Some Topics in Reactor Kinetics
  Proc. Second Int. Conf. PUA, 11, 302-309 (1958).
- IAEA Safety and Licensing Guidebook of Research Reactor Core
  Conversion from the Use of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) to the Use
of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU), Volume 3, Appendices (G-H), Vienna,    Austria (1990).
- Research Reactor Core Conversion from the Use of High Enriched
  Uranium (HEU) to the Use of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Fuel
  Guidebook
  IAEA-TECDOC-233 (1980).
- C.F. Obenchain:
  PARET - A Program for the Analysis of Reactors Transients
  IDO-17282 (1969).
IAEA1273/01, included references:
- User's Guide EXCURS-3RR - A Kinetics Code for M.T.R Type Research
  Reactors
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11. MACHINE REQUIREMENTS:  The sample problem requires less than 200 Kbytes.
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12. PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE(S) USED
Package ID Computer language
IAEA1273/01 FORTRAN-77
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13. OPERATING SYSTEM UNDER WHICH PROGRAM IS EXECUTED:  VAX/VMS.
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14. OTHER PROGRAMMING OR OPERATING INFORMATION OR RESTRICTIONS:  No
additional information are required.
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15. NAME AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AUTHORS

           B. Baggoura
     Centre de Radioprotection et Surete (C.R.S.)
     2 Boulvard Frantz Fanon
     B.P. 1017 Alger Gare, Alger 16000, Algeria

           T. Hamidouche
     Centre de developpement des Systemes Energetiques (C.D.S.E.)
     B.P. 180 Ain-Oussara, 17200, Djelfa, Algeria
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16. MATERIAL AVAILABLE
IAEA1273/01
source program   mag tapeEXCURSRR.FOR EXCURS-3-RR Source File       SRCTP
test-case output mag tapeEXCURS.OUT EXCURS-3-RR Output File         OUTTP
test-case data   mag tapeEXCURS.DAT EXCURS-3-RR Test-Case Data      DATTP
user's guide             EXCURS-3-RR User's Guide                   WRKPT
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17. CATEGORIES
  • G. Radiological Safety, Hazard and Accident Analysis

Keywords: LMFBR, feedback, heat transfer, loss-of-coolant accident, reactivity, reactor safety, transients.