Towards the new ASTEC V2 integral source term code
The 1st ASTEC V2 version has been released in July 2009 by IRSN and GRS, thus succeeding to the latest ASTEC V1
version (namely the V1.3-rev2 version) which was released in December 2007. Indeed, while the series of ASTEC V1
versions were the reference one in the SARNET first project, the V2 series becomes the new reference in SARNET2.
As concerns the V2.0 physical modelling (see the scheme below), the two major evolutions with respect to V1 are, on
the one hand, the implementation of the ICARE module (directly issued from the mechanistic ICARE2 IRSN code) for
in-vessel core degradation and, on the other hand, the new capabilities of the MCCI
(Molten-Core-Concrete-Interaction) module MEDICIS to simulate the EPR reactors, in particular thanks to a dedicated
core catcher modelling. Besides, most of the other physical modules (CESAR, CPA, IODE …) have been also improved.
Finally, new user tools are available to analyse the code results, such as JADE, ATLAS and SUNSET, respectively for
pre-processing (and on-line visualisation), post-processing and uncertainty analyses.
A one-week training course for ASTEC beginners has been organised and hosted by IRSN at the end of June 2009 in
Aix-en-Provence. Thirty-five participants (see the picture below) coming from 22 organisations in 13 countries
attended this quite dense training course which was, of course, exclusively focused on the use of the new V2.0
version. The course was much appreciated by the trainees.
Contact: P. Chatelard 