Analysis of NEA-NSC PWR Uncontrolled Control Rod Withdrawal at Zero Power Benchmark Cases with NODAL3 Code

Table 3

Effect of axial node number per FA for steady-state parameters in Cases A, B, and D.

Parameters	Results	Reference	NODAL3 (node number for a axial layer per FA)
			1 × 18	2 × 18	4 × 18	8 × 18
Case A
Critical boron concentration, ppm	B1	1262.7	1266.5 (0.30%)	1266.6 (0.31%)	1266.6 (0.31%)	1266.7 (0.32%)
Axial power peak factor,	B2	1.513	1.513 (0.00%)	1.514 (0.07%)	1.514 (0.07%)	1.514 (0.07%)
Radial power peak factor,	B3	1.242	1.234 (0.64%)	1.245 (0.24%)	1.245 (0.24%)	1.245 (0.24%)
Global (3D) power peak factor,	B6	1.880	1.868 (0.64%)	1.886 (0.32%)	1.886 (0.32%)	1.886 (0.32%)
Case B
Critical boron concentration, ppm	B1	793.60	795.0 (0.18%)	795.0 (0.18%)	795.0 (0.18%)	795.1 (0.19%)
Axial power peak factor,	B2	1.507	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)
Radial power peak factor,	B3	1.912	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)
Global (3D) power peak factor,	B6	2.886	2.877 (0.31%)	2.876 (0.35%)	2.876 (0.35%)	2.876 (0.35%)
Case D
Critical boron concentration, ppm	B1	793.60	795.0 (0.18%)	795.0 (0.18%)	795.0 (0.18%)	795.1 (0.19%)
Axial power peak factor,	B2	1.507	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)	1.508 (0.07%)
Radial power peak factor,	B3	1.912	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)	1.905 (0.37%)
Global (3D) power peak factor,	B6	2.886	2.877 (0.31%)	2.876 (0.35%)	2.876 (0.35%)	2.876 (0.35%)

Note. The radial node number is 2 × 2 nodes; number in parentheses are the absolute value of relative deviation of NODAL3 with the reference.