CASMO5

CASMO5 is a state-of-the-art lattice physics code for modeling PWR and BWR fuel. Optimized to model challenging heterogeneous fuel designs, such as high mixed-oxide (MOX) concentrations and high burnable poison concentrations, CASMO5 is built to perform today and years into the future.

Methodology

CASMO5 represents the culmination of Studsvik’s 30 years of experience in transport-based lattice physics. The 2D transport solution is based on the well-established Method of Characteristics with a linear source approximation, delivering unparalleled fidelity with production-level run times, even with today’s longer fuel cycles.

Improving Modeling Data

Exploiting the power of today’s computational hardware, CASMO5 requires fewer approximations and performs more rigorous solutions than previous generations of lattice physics codes.

Several significant physics enhancements, including resonance upscattering, higher-order Pn scattering, extended depletion chains, and a localized energy released-per fission model, make CASMO5 the most accurate lattice physics code available.

Fuel Lattice Design to Full Core Model

CASMO5 continues Studsvik’s long tradition of producing flexible, highly accurate, licensing grade software solutions for the nuclear industry. CASMO5 has the flexibility to model:

All commercially
available fuel designs


Single lattice to
multi-assembly effects

High mixed-oxide
(MOX) concentrations


Small reactor
critical configurations

High burnable
poison concentrations


Fuel storage pool/rack configurations and criticality analysis

CASMO5 – SIMULATE5

CASMO5 represents the culmination of Studsvik’s 30 years of experience in transport-based lattice physics. The 2D transport solution is based on the well-established Method of Characteristics with a linear source approximation, delivering unparalleled fidelity with production-level run times, even with today’s longer fuel cycles.

All neutron and gamma libraries required by SIMULATE5 are automatically generated by CASMO5.

Accuracy

CASMO5 has been extensively validated against measured critical experiments, continuous-energy Monte Carlo calculations, and post-irradiation benchmarks. CASMO5 delivers exceptional accuracy for traditional and newer, advanced fuel designs. CASMO5 can also perform burnup credit analysis as expanded MxN capabilities explicitly model fresh and depleted fuel and fuels storage rack components.

Ease of use

The CASMO5 ‘Keyword’ driven input format is designed to be simple to use, modeling complex fuel designs with just a few lines of input. Common fuel assembly materials are pre-defined and geometric thermal expansion is automatically calculated. It is equally capable of modeling PWR and BWR fuel with little effort on the part of the user, making CASMO5 the perfect solution for organizations performing mixed-unit analysis.

Applications

CASMO5 is commonly used to generate cross-section data for SIMULATE. CASMO5 can help support efforts in the following areas:

  • Fuel management
  • Core follow
  • Plant operations
  • Reload physics
  • Spent nuclear fuel management
  • Requirements

    Written entirely in Fortran-95, CASMO5 is available for all standard computing platforms running most modern 64-bit operating systems. Linux, Windows, and UNIX are all suitable environments for CASMO5. Cross-section data for SIMULATE-5 is also generated for use in S5K and Studsvik core monitoring software.

    Requirements

    Superior Nuclear Data: ENDF/B-Vll.1

    Using the most recent ENDF/B-VII nuclear data available, Studsvik has developed a high-resolution, 586-group neutron library for use with CASMO5. This extensive update from the previous 70-group CASMO library improves accuracy and reduces reliance on approximate resonance treatments. CASMO5 also includes an updated 18-group gamma library for gamma-sensitive in-core detector modeling and gamma energy deposition calculations

    Cross-section data is available for over 450 nuclides and materials, including more than 250 explicitly defined fission products and 60 heavy nuclides, making this library state-of-the-art in every sense.

    For further information, please contact us.