Progress in implementation of the neutronics model of hextran into APROS

A new three-dimensional nodal model for neutronics calculation is currently under implementation into APROS - Advanced PROcess Simulation environment - to conform the increasing accuracy requirements. The new model is based on an advanced nodal code HEXTRAN and its static version HEXBU-3D by VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland. However, several improvements for the model are made and the whole model has been reprogrammed. They don't change the theory basement of the method, but rather makes the implementation more flexible. Currently the computational part of the program is ready and current work concentrates on testing and validation. User interface details and usability issues need also work in the future. In this paper, general information about the improvements of the theory is explained first. Then the latest validation results are given. Currently the dynamical characteristics are tested by calculating the AER's kinetic benchmarks for VVER-440 reactors. In this paper, the results for the first benchmark are shown for two version of the code. The first version is fully HEXTRAN-comparable code to test that the basic structure works as wanted. The second version is the actual improved model for APROS