From “Turbine to Pellet” Integral LWR Safety Analyses

STARS aims at nuclear reactor modelling and simulations with focus on

• Safety assessments for the current generation (GII) of Light-Water-Reactors (LWRs) in general and for the Swiss operating LWRs in particular
• Safety evaluations for next-generation LWRs (GIII/GIII+)
• The keywords of STARS are LWR nuclear engineering, science and technology.

STARS is constituted by the three LWR modelling-related research groups of the LRS and the main technical areas of expertise are therefore

• Plant Behaviour
  (system thermal-hydraulics and fluid dynamics)
• Core Physics
  (neutronics/radiation transport, reactor physics, and coupled core statics/dynamics)
• Fuel Modelling
  (fuel thermo-mechanics and material behaviour)

The principle of STARS is to combine these competences and build an advanced
"Turbine-to-Pellet" modeling capability for integral safety assessments of nuclear reactors.

The STARS modelling and simulation activities are currently aimed at covering the following range of applications

• Steady-State Normal Reactor Operation
• Transients and Dynamical Events
• Design-Basis-Accidents
• Beyond-Design-Basis-Accidents
  (excluding core melt and severe accidents)
• Out-of-Core Applications
  (Fluence, Activation, Shielding, Spent Fuel Characterization, Criticality Safety w/o Burnup Credit)

The concept of STARS is to cover all areas where "neutrons, fluid and materials meet", both within and outside of the reactor vessel.