Alternative core configurations analysis to improve the neutronics performance of modular gas cooled fast reactor

IF 1.9 3区工程技术 Q1 NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Annals of Nuclear Energy Pub Date : 2024-10-07 DOI:10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110951

Shohanul Islam, Md Tanvir Ahmed

{"title":"Alternative core configurations analysis to improve the neutronics performance of modular gas cooled fast reactor","authors":"Shohanul Islam, Md Tanvir Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110951","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the neutronics characterization of the Allegro-75 MW<sub>th</sub> modular reactor by analyzing three alternative heterogeneous core configurations-axial, radial, axial + radial across three fuel candidates-UPuC, UPuN, and UPuO along with reflector materials namely ZrC, SiC, BeO, and Zr<sub>3</sub>Sc<sub>2</sub> to improve neutronics performance, identify the most suitable core configuration and optimal axial reflector thickness. The study revealed that axial + radial heterogeneous core configuration exhibited better performance across each fuel type compared to other heterogeneous models. UPuC with axial + radial heterogeneity was identified as the optimal model as it demonstrated cycle length over ten years, satisfactory neutron spectrum, uniform neutron flux distribution, low radial and axial PPF, high beta effective, and negative Doppler Constant. Analyzing reflector materials with the most suitable fuel model revealed that the optimum axial reflector thickness is 60 cm for all reflector models where BeO emerged as the most favorable reflector due to its superior results in other neutronics parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8006,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Nuclear Energy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals of Nuclear Energy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306454924006145","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the neutronics characterization of the Allegro-75 MW_th modular reactor by analyzing three alternative heterogeneous core configurations-axial, radial, axial + radial across three fuel candidates-UPuC, UPuN, and UPuO along with reflector materials namely ZrC, SiC, BeO, and Zr₃Sc₂ to improve neutronics performance, identify the most suitable core configuration and optimal axial reflector thickness. The study revealed that axial + radial heterogeneous core configuration exhibited better performance across each fuel type compared to other heterogeneous models. UPuC with axial + radial heterogeneity was identified as the optimal model as it demonstrated cycle length over ten years, satisfactory neutron spectrum, uniform neutron flux distribution, low radial and axial PPF, high beta effective, and negative Doppler Constant. Analyzing reflector materials with the most suitable fuel model revealed that the optimum axial reflector thickness is 60 cm for all reflector models where BeO emerged as the most favorable reflector due to its superior results in other neutronics parameters.

查看原文本刊更多论文

提高模块式气冷快堆中子性能的备选堆芯配置分析

本研究调查了 Allegro-75 MWth 模块化反应堆的中子特性，分析了三种备选的异质堆芯构型--轴向、径向、轴向+径向三种候选燃料--UPuC、UPuN 和 UPuO 以及反射器材料（ZrC、SiC、BeO 和 Zr3Sc2），以提高中子性能，确定最合适的堆芯构型和最佳轴向反射器厚度。研究表明，与其他异质模型相比，轴向+径向异质堆芯配置在每种燃料类型中都表现出更好的性能。具有轴向+径向异质结构的 UPuC 被确定为最佳模型，因为它的循环长度超过十年，中子谱令人满意，中子通量分布均匀，径向和轴向 PPF 低，β 有效率高，多普勒常数为负。利用最合适的燃料模型对反射器材料进行分析后发现，所有反射器模型的最佳轴向反射器厚度均为 60 厘米，其中 BeO 因其在其他中子参数方面的优异结果而成为最有利的反射器。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Annals of Nuclear Energy 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

21.10%

发文量

632

审稿时长

7.3 months

期刊介绍： Annals of Nuclear Energy provides an international medium for the communication of original research, ideas and developments in all areas of the field of nuclear energy science and technology. Its scope embraces nuclear fuel reserves, fuel cycles and cost, materials, processing, system and component technology (fission only), design and optimization, direct conversion of nuclear energy sources, environmental control, reactor physics, heat transfer and fluid dynamics, structural analysis, fuel management, future developments, nuclear fuel and safety, nuclear aerosol, neutron physics, computer technology (both software and hardware), risk assessment, radioactive waste disposal and reactor thermal hydraulics. Papers submitted to Annals need to demonstrate a clear link to nuclear power generation/nuclear engineering. Papers which deal with pure nuclear physics, pure health physics, imaging, or attenuation and shielding properties of concretes and various geological materials are not within the scope of the journal. Also, papers that deal with policy or economics are not within the scope of the journal.