PWR circuit contamination assessment tool. Use of OSCAR code for engineering studies at EDF

Abstract

Normal operation of PWR generates corrosion and wear products in the primary circuit which are activated in the core and constitute the major source of the radiation field. In addition, cases of fuel failure and alpha emitter dissemination in the coolant system could represent a significant radiological risk. Radiation field and alpha risks are the main constraints to carry out maintenance and to handle effluents. To minimize these risks and constraints, it is essential to understand the behavior of corrosion products and actinides and to carry out the appropriate measurements in PWR circuits and loop experiments. As a matter of fact, it is more than necessary to develop and use a reactor contamination assessment code in order to take into account the chemical and physical mechanisms in different situations in operating reactors or at design stage. OSCAR code has actually been developed and used for this aim. It is presented in this paper, as well as its use in the engineering studies at EDF. To begin with, the code structure is described, including the physical, chemical and transport phenomena considered for the simulation of the mechanisms regarding PWR contamination. Then, the use of OSCAR is illustrated with two examples from our engineering studies. The first example of OSCAR engineering studies is linked to the behavior of the activated corrosion products. The selected example carefully explores the impact of the restart conditions following a reactor mid-cycle shutdown on circuit contamination. The second example of OSCAR use concerns fission products and disseminated fissile material behavior in the primary coolant. This example is a parametric study of the correlation between the quantity of disseminated fuel and the variation of Iodine 134 in the primary coolant.