Verification of NODAL3 code with PWR MOX/UO2 core transient benchmark

This paper presents static and transient calculation results for the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) mixed oxide fuel (MOX)/UO2 Core Transient Benchmark with a coupled neutronics thermal-hydraulics, multi-dimension, few-group neutron diffusion nodal code, NODAL3. The main purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of the NODAL3 code in modeling certain conditions of the PWR core that use MOX fuel. In this work, cross-section data were generated with the PIJ module from the SRAC2006 code system (ENDF/B-VII.0 based library). Static parameters calculated cover multiplication factor, power distribution, control rod reactivity, and critical boron concentration. For transient cases, parameters to be verified were peak power time, maximum power, and final average Doppler temperature. The static parameter calculation results show good results when compared with DeCART reference solutions, with power-weighted error (PWE) and error-weighted error (EWE) less than 5 % on radial power distribution case. The differences in critical boron concentration from reference data on Hot Full Power (HFP) and Hot Zero Power (HZP) conditions were less than 30 ppm. The transient solution were in good agreement when compared to other codes.