RELAP5/MOD3 Code Verification Through PWR Pressure Vessel Small Break LOCA Tests in OECD/NEA ROSA Project

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) started OECD/NEA ROSA Project in 2005 to resolve issues in the thermal-hydraulic analyses relevant to LWR safety through the experiments of ROSA/LSTF in JAEA. More than 17 organizations from 14 NEA member countries have joined the Project. The ROSA Project intends to focus on the validation of simulation models and methods for complex phenomena that may occur during DBEs and beyond-DBE transients. Twelve experiments are to be conducted in the six types. By utilizing the obtained data, the predictability of codes is validated. Nine experiments have been performed so far in the ROSA Project to date. The results of two out of these experiments; PV top and bottom small-break (SB) LOCA simulations are studied here, through comparisons with the results from pre-test and post-test analyses by using the RELAP5/MOD3.2 code as a typical and well-utilized/improved best estimate (BE) code. The experimental conditions were defined based on the pre-test (blind) analysis. The comparison with the experiment results may clearly indicate a state of the art of the code to deal with relevant reactor accidents. The code predictive capability was verified further through the post-test analysis. The obtained issues in the utilization of the RELAP5 code are summarized as well as the outline of the ROSA Project.