Publications by Aurélia Chenu

Coupled 3-D Neutronics/Thermal-Hydraulics Optimization Study For Improving The Response Of A 3600 Mw(Thermal) Sfr Core To An Unprotected Loss-Of-Flow Accident

Rakesh Chawla, Aurélia Chenu, Kaichao Sun, Konstantin Mikityuk, Jiri Krepel

The sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), as a fast neutron spectrum system, is characterized by several performance advantages. In particular, the long-term operation of an SFR core in a closed fuel cycle will lead to an equilibrium state, where both reactivi ...

Amer Nuclear Soc2013

Analysis of selected Phenix EOL tests with the FAST code system - Part I: Control-rod-shift experiments

Rakesh Chawla, Aurélia Chenu, Konstantin Mikityuk

The end-of-life (EOL) tests recently performed at the Phenix reactor present a unique opportunity to validate computational tools used for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) static and transient analysis. In the first part of the current study, PSI's FAST co ...

Elsevier2012

Analysis of selected Phenix EOL tests with the FAST code system - Part II: Unprotected phase of the Natural Convection Test

Rakesh Chawla, Aurélia Chenu, Konstantin Mikityuk

Experimental results from the unprotected phase of the Natural Convection (NC) Test performed in the Phenix reactor in the frame of end-of-life (EOL) experiments have been used to qualify the FAST code system for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) transient ...

Elsevier2012

Single- and Two-Phase Flow Modeling for Coupled Neutronics/Thermal-Hydraulics Transient Analysis of Advanced Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

Aurélia Chenu

Nuclear power is nowadays in the front rank as regards helping to meet the growing worldwide energy demand while avoiding an excessive increase in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the operating nuclear power plants are mainly thermal-neutron reactors and ...

EPFL2011

Pressure drop modeling and comparisons with experiments for single- and two-phase sodium flow

Rakesh Chawla, Aurélia Chenu, Konstantin Mikityuk

The thermal-hydraulic code TRACE is currently being extended at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for enabling the study of sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) core behavior during transients in which boiling is anticipated. An accurate prediction of pressure ...

Elsevier2011

FAST code system: Review of recent developments and near-future plans

Rakesh Chawla, Petr Petkevich, Aurélia Chenu, Konstantin Mikityuk, Jiri Krepel

The FAST code system is currently being developed and used at the Paul Scherrer Institut for static and transient analysis of the main Generation 4 fast-spectrum reactor concepts: sodium-, helium-, and gas-cooled fast reactors. The code system includes the ...

American Society of Mechanical Engineers2010

TRACE simulation of sodium boiling in pin bundle experiments under loss-of-flow conditions

Rakesh Chawla, Aurélia Chenu, Konstantin Mikityuk

In the framework of PSI's FAST code system, the thermal-hydraulic code TRACE is being extended for representation of sodium two-phase flow. As the currently available version (v.5) is limited to the simulation of only single-phase sodium flow, its applicab ...

Elsevier Science B.V.2009