Ex-Vessel Neutron Dosimetry Analysis for Westinghouse 4-Loop XL Pressurized Water Reactor Plant Using 3D Parallel Discrete Ordinates Code RAPTOR-M3G

Abstract

Traditional two-dimensional (2D)/one-dimensional (1D) SYNTHESIS methodology has been widely used to calculate fast neutron (>1.0 MeV) fluence exposure to reactor pressure vessel in the beltline region. However, it is expected that this methodology cannot provide accurate fast neutron fluence calculation at elevations far above or below the active core region. A three-dimensional (3D) parallel discrete ordinates calculation for ex-vessel neutron dosimetry on a Westinghouse 4-Loop XL Pressurized Water Reactor has been done. It shows good agreement between the calculated results and measured results. Furthermore, the results show very different fast neutron flux values at some of the former plate locations and elevations above and below an active core than those calculated by a 2D/1D SYNTHESIS method. This indicates that for certain irregular reactor internal structures, where the fast neutron flux has a very strong local effect, it is required to use a 3D transport method to calculate accurate fast neutron exposure.