SCDAP/RELAP5/MOD3 code development

The SCOAP/RELAP5/MOD3 computer code is designed to describe the overall reactor coolant system (RCS) thermal-hydraulic response, core damage progression, and fission product release and transport during severe accidents. The code is being developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) under the primary sponsorship of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Code development activities are currently focused on three main areas - (a) code usability, (b) early phase melt progression model improvements, and (c) advanced reactor thermal-hydraulic model extensions. This paper describes the first two activities. A companion paper describes the advanced reactor model improvements being performed under RELAP5/MOD3 funding.