Predictions by the proper orthogonal decomposition reduced order methodology regarding non-linear BWR stability

Unexpected non-linear boiling water reactor (BWR) instability events in various plants, e.g. LaSalle II in 1988 and Oskarshamn II in 1990 amongst others, emphasize the major safety relevance and the existence of parameter regions with unstable behavior. A detailed description of the complete dynamical non-linear behavior is of paramount importance for BWR operation. An extension of state-of-the-art methodology towards a more general stability description, also applicable in the non-linear region, could lead to a deeper understanding of non-linear BWR stability phenomena. With the intention of a full non-linear stability analysis of the two-phase BWR system, the present paper aims at a general non-linear methodology capable to achieve reliable and numerical stable reduced order models (ROMs), representing the dynamical behavior of an original system based on a small number of transients. Model-specific options and aspects of the proposed methodology are focused on and illustrated by means of a strongly non-linear dynamical system showing complex oscillating behavior. Prediction capability of the proposed methodology is also addressed. (orig.)