1. Ken Geelhood Walter Luscher
FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN Users Group Meeting: Recent Code Release and Future Plans
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Ken Geelhood
Walter Luscher
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, WA
November 20, 2018

2. Summary Current code versions Summary of Changes Upcoming Changes
FRAPCON-3.5
FRAPTRAN-1.5
Upcoming Changes
Changes beyond these versions
Next Code Release
November 20, 2018

3. Summary of Changes: FRAPCON-3.5
See Handout
November 20, 2018

4. Summary of Changes: FRAPTRAN-1.5
See Handout
November 20, 2018

5. Upcoming Changes Code Modernization
Removal of unused code
Migration to FORTRAN 95
Logic Improvements
Switch from explicit dimensions to dynamic dimensions
FRAPCON General Improvements and Reliability
Automate time step size reduction in creep subroutine to avoid crashes
Retune FRAPFGR model to make this model the primary FGR model and add output of grain boundary gas and high burnup rim structure.
FRAPTRAN General Improvements and Reliability
Move sth2xt files into the code
Investigate and fix problems with code crashes and eliminate unnecessary error messages
Confirm validity of transient temperature solution
November 20, 2018

6. Upcoming Changes Peer-Review Items
Adapt the IRSN tool to automate the FRAPCON assessment cases and compare the results to the appropriate data or to a previous FRAPCON version.
Add benchmark cases to the assessment database
Investigate and fix as appropriate the following potential issues in the code:
Investigate radial thermal expansion of the central hole and the coupling of FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN for annular pellets
Adjust fast neutron flux and burnup for gadolinia rods
Investigate potential inconsistencies between thermal and mechanical gaps
Investigate passage of rod internal pressure from FRAPCON to FRAPTRAN
Change FRAPCON power history input format
Add fuel swelling due to fission gas swelling in FRAPTRAN
Add outputs from plot file in printed output
November 20, 2018

7. Upcoming Changes
Permanently import FRAPCON-DATING in to the latest version of FRAPCON
Updates to input generators and post-processors
Updates to ARM-FRAPCON, and development of ARM-FRAPTRAN
Investigate reflood rate predictions and heat transfer coefficients in the FLECHT model
Add the ANS-5.4 Standard Fission Product Release Model to FRAPCON
Review the decay heat models currently in the FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN codes,assess their validity and adequacy, and make necessary changes to both codes as necessary
November 20, 2018

8. Changes Beyond These Versions
Better integration with SNAP
TUBRNP update
Auto-validation tool, including long and short assessment, as well as development of standard problem cases to increase code coverage in the validation, and updates to the QA program based on use of GIT and auto-validation tool
Modernization of assessment input cases to match current code capability
Expansion of the integral assessment case inventory including most or all Halden tests
Improvements in ballooning models in axial direction, to support eventual predictions of fuel dispersal, as well as axial stack relocation, and inclusion of grid spacers
Look into vendor developments and ensure that NRC codes are following the trends, such as pellet additives, new cladding types
November 20, 2018

9. Changes Beyond These Versions
Ensure that the NRC codes are providing reasonable predictions for SMR fuel designs and make necessary changes
Perform a targeted literature review to keep track of domestic and international developments in licensed fuel performance codes, to stay at the state-of-the-art
Integration or coupling with TRACE
FRAPTRAN dynamic time stepping based on back-stepping and normalized change metric, as well as output to the console to inform the user on status of calculation
November 20, 2018

10. Next Code Release
Plan to release FRAPCON-3.5a and FRAPTRAN-1.5a (same predictions with modern FORTRAN) in 2015
Plan to release FRAPCON-3.6 and FRAPTRAN-1.6 by December 2016
Open to discussion of more frequent beta releases
November 20, 2018