Axial xenon redistribution and power shaping in large pressurized water reactors

The reactor described is aimed at developing an accurate physical model for axial power shaping studies in pressurized water reactors of the current generation. The model is also intended for numerical studies on: (1) reactor load follow capacity throughout a fuel loading lifetime; and (2) burnup dependence of the reactor stability against axial xenon oscillations. The results concern methods development and assessment. A one-dimensional (axial) core geometrical model, coupled with fuel temperature- and moderator coolant thermal-hydraulics-feedback was assembled. Algorithms for computing the feedback effects were developed and incorporated into a general purpose diffusion-theory-depletion computer program (CITATION). The handling of Doppler feedback is based upon the space-dependent average fuel temperature and the functional dependence of fuel nuclide cross sections on the fuel temperature.