Computational investigation of the temperature and geometric characteristics of VVÉR fuel in the Kozlodui nuclear power plant (Bulgaria) under normal operating conditions

A method of performing stationary thermomechanical calculations of VVER-440 and-1000 fuel elements, using the TRANSURANUS computer code to obtain the dependence of the temperature and radius of the fuel elements on the lineal power ensity and burnup, is described. These dependences are intended for use in neutron-physical calculations of the VVER reactor at the Kozlodui nuclear power plant in stationary and transient regimes. The results obtained with this computer program are compared with calculations performed using the certified TOPRA-s code. The comparison shows reasonable agreement between the results of calculations of the fuel temperature.