CENTAR-code for extended nonlinear transient analysis of extraterrestrial reactor systems

Current interest in the application of nuclear reactor driven power systems to space missions has generated a need for an accurate systems model which is capable of handling the special problems and requirements of such a system. A project to develop a code specifically designed to model and analyze space reactor systems has been initiated and the first version is nearing completion, with release of the first version anticipated in the fall of 1987. This code, named CENTAR, is superior to many systems models currently used in space systems analysis because it is written especially for space systems, is highly vectorizable, and is thus able to take advantage of high speed supercomputer architecture. Nevertheless, the code is written in standard FORTRAN-77 and is not machine-dependent. Tests of the code have been run on VAX, CRAY, NEC and SUN systems. The code is composed of seven major sections, each of which has specialized functions required for solving different aspects of a systems problem. Benchmarking runs have been made with most of these sections, and excellent agreement to analytical solutions has been demonstrated