Validation of Serpent-SUBCHANFLOW-TRANSURANUS pin-by-pin burnup calculations using experimental data from a Pre-Konvoi PWR reactor

Abstract The focus of this work is the validation of Serpent-SUBCHANFLOW-TRANSURANUS, a high-fidelity multiphysics system coupling Monte Carlo neutron transport, subchannel thermalhydraulics and fuel-performance analysis. A full-core pin-by-pin burnup calculation for the first operating cycle of a Pre-Konvoi PWR plant is presented and the results are assessed using experimental data. The critical boron concentration and a set of pin-level neutron flux profiles are compared against measurements, with very good agreement. The impact of using fuel-performance analysis is discussed comparing the results obtained with the three-code coupling with the ones using the traditional neutronic-thermalhydraulic approach. The studies presented here are part of the final stage of the EU Horizon 2020 McSAFE project, closing the development cycle of the Serpent-SUBCHANFLOW-TRANSURANUS system, from implementation to validation.