Within the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty methodologies (BEPU) for the safety analysis of the Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), one of the crucial issue is to quantify the input uncertainties associated to the physical models in the code. Such a quantification consists of assessing the probability distribution of the input parameters needed for the uncertainty propagation through a comparison between simulations and experimental data. It is usually referred to as Inverse Uncertainty Quantification (IUQ).
In this framework, the Service of Thermal-hydraulics and Fluid dynamics (STMF) at CEA-Saclay has proposed a new international project within the OECD/NEA WGAMA working group. It is called ATRIUM (Application Tests for Realization of Inverse Uncertainty quantification and validation Methodologies in thermal-hydraulics). Its main objectives are to perform a benchmark on relevant Inverse Uncertainty Quantification (IUQ) exercises, to prove the applicability of the SAPIUM guideline and to promote best practices for IUQ in thermal-hydraulics. It is proposed to quantify the uncertainties associated to some physical phenomena relevant during a Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) in a nuclear reactor. Two main IUQ exercises with increasing complexity are planned. The first one is about the critical flow at the break and the second one is related to the post-CHF heat transfer phenomena. A particular attention will be dedicated to the evaluation of the adequacy of the experimental databases for extrapolation to the study of a LOCA in a full-scale reactor. Finally, the obtained input model uncertainties will be propagated on a suitable Integral Effect Test (IET) to validate their application in experiments at a larger scale and possibly justify the extrapolation to reactor scale.