From September 11-14, 2017, AdSTM instructors Richard Emch, Weidong He, and David Squarer; conducted a workshop entitled, “Overview of Computer Codes Used in the Regulatory Process” in Bucharest, Romania. The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) was the first regulator to receive this new International Regulatory Development Partnership (IRDP) course, which was attended by participants representing the CNCAN; the Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica (SNN), the operating company for the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant; ICN Pitesti, the licensee for the TRIGA Research Reactor; Centre of Technology and Engineering for Nuclear Projects (CITON), and AMEC Foster Wheeler (private companies providing services to Cernavoda NPP).
This course was developed to provide an overview of some of the computer codes used by the U.S. NRC in licensing, research, inspection, risk-informed regulation, and generic issue resolution. The course covered eight computer codes: FRAPCON, FRAPTRAN, MACCS2, MELCOR, PARCS, RASCAL, SAPHIRE, and TRACE. These computer codes were selected in order to cover a diverse spectrum of topics: fuel behavior, PRA/PSA, thermal-hydraulics, severe accident, consequences of severe accident, and reactor physics.
The workshop participants were very engaged, asking questions and supporting classroom discussions. The collaboration between the IRDP program and CNCAN continues to be very successful as demonstrated by the high level of participation and attendance by CNCAN staff, and supporting organizations.