Role of BE Codes in BWR Technology

The role of best estimate (BE) codes in nuclear technology has gained increased relevance in the past years because of two factors: (a) the availability of high-speed computing, and (b) the increased sophistication of reactor models. One of the most successful applications of BE technology in BWRs is in the field of stability. This paper describes some of the BE stability codes that have been developed and are currently used by industry, regulators, and researchers. This paper also documents a study of the effect of radial nodalization on the results of BE stability codes. This study shows that proper radial nodalization is a key parameter to consider for successful BE stability predictive calculations. (authors)