Neutron-kinetic code validation against measurements in the Moscow V-1000 zero-power facility

Measurements carried out in an original-size VVER-1000 mock-up (V-1000 facility, Kurchatov Institute, Moscow) were used for the validation of three-dimensional neutron-kinetic codes, designed for VVER safety calculations. The significant neutron flux tilt measured in the V-1000 core, which is caused only by radial-reflector asymmetries, was successfully modeled. A good agreement between calculated and measured steady-state powers has been achieved, for relative assembly powers and inner-assembly pin power distributions. Calculated effective multiplication factors exceed unity in all cases. The time behaviour of local powers, measured during two transients that were initiated by control rod moving in a slightly super-critical core, has been well simulated by the neutron-kinetic codes.