Interpretation of TRIGA reactivity transients with RELAP5/PARCS coupled-code

In the frame of future experiments to carried out upon TRIGA reactors, which aim to verify the real feasibility of the ADS (Accelerator Driven System) concept, it is essential to build a numerical tool able to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the reactor in subcritical configuration. This model developed to support the design of subcritical experiments and the safety analysis of the reactor, as a first step has to be assessed against the experimental data available for the critical reactor. To this purpose the thermal-hydraulic/ neutronic numerical model based on the RELAP5/PARCS coupled-code is been tested against the experimental reactivity transients conducted on the RC1-TRIGA reactor at the ENEA Casaccia Research Center in forecast of the TRADE (TRIGA Accelerator Driven Experiment) subcritical experience. The results of the calculations already performed show a qualitative good agreement with the experimental data and allow to address the future developments and improvements of the numerical model. (authors)