Validation of CATHARE 3D code against UPTF TRAM C3 transients

Within the nuclear reactor safety analysis, one of the events that could potentially lead to a recriticality accident in case of a Small Break LOCA (SBLOCA) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) is a boron dilution scenario followed by a coolant mixing transient. Some UPTF experiments can be interpreted as generic boron dilution experiments. In fact, the UPTF experiments were originally designed to conduct separate effects studies focused on multi-dimensional thermal hydraulic phenomena. But, in the case of experimental program TRAM, some studies are realized on the boron mixing: tests C3. Some of these tests have been used for the validation and assessment of the 3D module of CATHARE code. Results are very satisfying; CATHARE 3D code is able to reproduce correctly the main features of the UPTF TRAM C3 tests, the temperature mixing in the cold leg, the formation of a strong stratification in the upper downcomer, the perfect mixing temperature in the lower downcomer and the strong stratification in the lower plenum. These results are also compared with the CFX-5 and TRIO-U codes results on these tests. (author)