A comparative study of the MATRA-LMR-FB calculation with the SABRE result for the flow blockage accident in the sodium cooled fast reactor

A sub-channel flow blockage may be initiated by an ingression of damaged fuel debris or foreign obstacles into a core subassembly for the sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) due to the compact design of the fuel arrangement. Since local coolant temperature could go up high enough to reach a safety limit by the blockage disturbance in the subassembly, the MATRA-LMR-FB code was developed to analyze such blockage effect. An effort has been undergoing to enhance its reliability.In this study, a code-to-code comparison analysis with another code, SABRE4, was performed to supplement a qualification of the MATRA-LMR-FB. The two codes were applied to the analysis of partial sub-channel blockage accidents in a subassembly of the KALIMER-150, which is a conceptual design of a sodium-cooled fast reactor with an electric output of 150 MW. The analyses were carried out not only for radially different blockage positions but also for different blockage sizes in the subassembly.In result, the two code results were generally agreed both in magnitude and trend within a range. Therefore, it was concluded that the comparison results could support complementarily the applicability of the MATRA-LMR-FB to the partial flow blockage accident in the subassembly of the SFR.

► MATRA-LMR-FB code results were compared with SABRE4's for flow blockage accidents.
► Analyses were done for a subassembly of KALIMER-150, a sodium cooled fast reactor.
► Two code results were generally agreed both in magnitude and trend within a range.
► The comparison results could supplement a qualification of the MATRA-LMR-FB.