The USNRC thermal-hydraulic research program

The general NRC research philosophy as given in the Five-Year Plan, is quoted so that one can better appreciate the activities in the specific research area of thermal hydraulics (T/H). These activities are then described as they exist in the current version of the Five-Year Plan. A historical perspective of T/H research is next presented, emphasizing the accomplishments leading to the revised ECCS rule and the role of cooperative research with both international and domestic institutions. A plan for increased use of assessed T/H computer codes by the NRC staff is discussed. The need for adequate documentation of completed codes is then described. The paper ends with a short description of future paths for T/H research. The contribution of Dr. S. Levy to the Advanced Code Review Group and the study on Code Scalability Accuracy and uncertainty is acknowledged. (orig.)