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• A novel filament mixing approach for the fabrication of anthropomorphic phantoms was developed. • Mixing of two different filaments during printing can produce radiologically bone equivalent structures. • A custom-made software associating images directly with the 3D printing process was used. • A custom-made dual motor filament extrusion setup was developed. The aim of this study is the development of a methodology for manufacturing 3D printed anthropomorphic structures, which mimic the X-ray properties of the human bone tissue. A mixing approach of two different materials is proposed for the fabrication of a radiologically equivalent hip bone for an anthropomorphic abdominal phantom. The materials employed for the phantom were polylactic acid (PLA) and Stonefil, while a custom-made dual motor filament extrusion setup and a custom-made software associating medical images directly with the 3D printing process were employed. Three phantoms representing the hip bone were 3D printed utilizing two filaments under three different printing scenarios. The phantoms are based on a patient's abdominal CT scan images. Histograms of CT scans of the printed hip bone phantoms were calculated and compared to the original patient's hip bone histogram, demonstrating that a constant mixing composition of 30% Stonefil and 70% PLA with 0.0375 extrusion rate per voxel (93.75% flow for fulfilling a single voxel) for the cancellous bone, and using 100% Stonefil with 0.04 extrusion rate per voxel (100% flow) for the cortical bone results in a realistic anatomy replication of the hip bone. Reproduced HU varied between 700 and 800, which are close to those of the hip bone. The study demonstrated that it is possible to mix two different filaments in real-time during the printing process to obtain phantoms with realistic and radiographically bone tissue equivalent attenuation. The results will be explored for manufacturing a CT-compatible abdominal phantom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since some years, there is a worldwide trend to move towards “higher-fidelity” simulation techniques in reactor analysis. One of the main objectives of the research in this area is to enhance the prediction capability of the computations used for safety demonstration of the current LWR nuclear power plants through the dynamic 3D coupling of the codes simulating the different physics of the problem into a common multi-physics simulation scheme. In this context, the NURESAFE European project aims at delivering to the European stakeholders an advanced and reliable software capacity usable for safety analysis needs of present and future LWR reactors and developing a high level of expertise in Europe in the proper use of the most recent simulation tools including uncertainty assessment to quantify the margins toward feared phenomena occurring during an accident. This software capacity is based on the NURESIM European simulation platform created during FP6 NURESIM project which includes advanced core physics, two-phase thermal–hydraulics, fuel modeling and multi-scale and multi-physics features together with sensitivity and uncertainty tools. These physics are fully integrated into the platform in order to provide a standardized state-of-the-art code system to support safety analysis of current and evolving LWRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rod ejection accident (REA) and the main steam line break (MSLB) are two of the most important design basis accidents (DBA) for VVER-1000 exhibiting significant localized space-time effects. A consistent approach for assessing coupled three-dimensional (3-D) neutron kinetics/thermal-hydraulics codes for reactivity insertion accidents (RIA) is to first validate the codes using the available plant test (measured) data and after that to perform cross code comparative analysis for REA and MSLB scenarios. The coupled 3-D neutron kinetics/thermal-hydraulics benchmark presented in this paper is based on data from the Unit #6 of the Bulgarian Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) and it is entitled the VVER-1000 coolant transient (V1000CT) benchmark. Two real plant transients are selected for simulation in the benchmark: main coolant pump start-up (Phase 1) and coolant mixing tests (Phase 2). In addition to these transients extreme scenarios were defined for better testing 3-D neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling: rod ejection simulation with control rod being ejected in the core sector cooled by the switched on MCP (Phase 1) and MSLB transient (Phase 2). The paper presents an overview of the Phase 1 (V1000CT-1) benchmark activities and describes the approach used for assessing the coupled neutron kinetics/thermal-hydraulics codes. Selected comparative analysis of currently submitted participants'' results is presented with emphasis on the observed modeling issues and deviations from the measured data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]