Results of validation of the ICARE2 code in the PBF SFD 1.4 experiment

The present study is devoted to the analysis of the ICARE2 calculation relative to the PBF SFD 1.4 test. The objectives of this test, performed in the Power Burst Facility in Idaho Falls, were the acquisition of knowledge and comprehension of the phenomena involved in the degradation of a reactor core following a Loss of Coolant Accident without scram. The calculation is done with the ICARE2 V2 Mod1 code, developed at the IPSN of the French CEA, in which the main phenomena involved in LWR severe fuel damage transients are modelled. The comparison of the results with experimental data shows a general good agreement for main quantities, such as the thermal behaviour, the hydrogen production and the material relocation. Nevertheless, the loss of instrumentation at high temperatures does not allow to have confidence on the temperature evolution during a large part of the transient. None of the models used to deal with the fission products release gives a satisfactory prediction of the total amounts released, except for cesium behaviour. (author). 7 refs, 23 figs