Analytical models for a small LFR core dynamics studies

Analytical models for the study of a small Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) demonstrator (DEMO) core dynamics, in a control-oriented perspective, have been developed aimed at providing a useful, very flexible and straightforward tool allowing relatively quick transient design-basis and stability analyses. A simplified approach has been developed consisting in a lumped-parameter modeling of the coupled neutronics and thermal-hydraulics. The reactor transient responses following both postulated accident initiators such as Unprotected Transient of OverPower (UTOP), Loss of Heat Sink (ULOHS) and Loss of Flow (ULOF), and an emergency SCRAM event have been studied in MATLAB/SIMULINK® environment. A benchmark analysis has been then performed by means of the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 Liquid Metal Reactor Code System with the purpose of providing verification for the analytical outcomes of the nonlinear model and indicating how the latter relate to more realistic one-dimensional calculations. As a general result, responses concerning the main core characteristics (namely, power, reactivity, etc.) have turned out to be mutually consistent in terms of both steady-state absolute figures and transient developments, showing discrepancies of the order of only few per cents. DEMO dynamic behavior has been studied through a linear approach as well, so as to enable the use of linear analysis tools allowing to verify the system stability, thanks to the possibility of expressing a physical model in terms of transfer functions or state–space representation. The impact of linearization and point-kinetics one-precursor-group approximation has been further evaluated by examining the respective transient predictions, which have been compared to the nonlinear reference ones for increasing perturbations. An asymptotic stability analysis, according to Lyapunov's definition, is finally presented.