Verification of AEGIS/SCOPE2, a next-generation in-core fuel management system

AEGIS/SCOPE2 is a next-generation code system for in-core fuel management of PWRs; AEGIS is a 2-D lattice code which treats heterogeneous geometry based on the MOC, while SCOPE2 is a highly efficient parallel code which performs multi-group nodal-transport calculations in 3-D pin-by-pin geometry. Cross sections for SCOPE2 calculations are provided by AEGIS. In this paper, a preliminary result of numerical performance by the AEGIS/SCOPE2 system is presented. In assembly calculations, prediction results by AEGIS were compared with reference results by MVP, a continuous-energy Monte-Carlo code, for k∞ and fission rate distributions within an assembly. Good agreement between the codes was observed. A preliminary result of burnup calculation is also presented with comparisons of k∞ between AEGIS and MVP-burn, a burnup code coupled with MVP. AEGIS predicted k∞ within ±0.2 %Δk/k throughout burnup up to 60 GWd/t compared to the reference. An initial core of a commercial PWR at HZP was analyzed with AEGIS/SCOPE2 using nuclear data libraries including ENDF-B/VI rev. 8, B/VTI beta 0 and JENDL-3.3. In this preliminary study, the criticality was a little underestimated, however assembly-wise power distribution was predicted in good accuracy. (authors)