Application of GPT to uncertainty analysis of DUPIC core

The effect of DUPIC fuel composition heterogeneity on CANDU core performance was assessed for a candidate DUPIC fuel option of the fissile content adjustment method, which produces the DUPIC fuel of fixed 235U and 239Pu contents. In order to assess the uncertainty of the core performance parameter associated with the isotopic variation, the sensitivity coefficients were generated by the generalized perturbation theory for the lattice parameter and zone controller level perturbations. The uncertainty was then estimated for three key core performance parameters: maximum channel power (MCP), maximum bundle power (MBP), and channel power peaking factor (CPPF). The average uncertainties of MCP, MBP, and CPPF were estimated to be 1.3, 2.5, and 1.2%, respectively, with 95% confidence level, when simulated for specified burnup points of the equilibrium core