A computational framework to support probabilistic criticality modelling for the geological disposal of radioactive waste

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

Annals of Nuclear Energy Pub Date : 2024-10-21 DOI:10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110965

E. Adam Paxton , Jiejie Wu , Tim Hicks , Slimane Doudou , David Applegate , Robert Mason , Andrew Price , Liam Payne

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Nuclear Waste Services is tasked with disposal of the UK’s higher-activity radioactive waste in a Geological Disposal Facility. The disposal of fissile nuclides requires a demonstration that there is no significant concern from criticality, i.e. a fission chain reaction. While waste packages will initially be emplaced in a subcritical configuration, over the long timescales following closure there is potential for waste packages to degrade and for nuclides to be dispersed in the subsurface by groundwater, leading to the potential for a critical system forming. To facilitate modelling, a codebase has been developed which interfaces a probabilistic simulation tool (GoldSim) with a neutron transport code (MONK/MCNP). This allows large ensemble simulations to be run iteratively to determine limiting fissile masses which satisfy a criticality safety criterion. This paper documents the main algorithms and methodologies implemented within this framework, and provides background and example results illustrating the application to post-closure criticality modelling.

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支持放射性废物地质处置临界概率建模的计算框架

核废料服务部的任务是在地质处理设施中处理英国的高活性放射性废物。处置裂变核素需要证明不会出现临界状态（即裂变链式反应）。虽然废物包最初将以亚临界状态放置，但在关闭后的很长一段时间内，废物包有可能降解，核素也有可能通过地下水散布到地下，从而导致临界系统形成的可能性。为便于建模，开发了一个代码库，将概率模拟工具（GoldSim）与中子传输代码（MONK/MCNP）连接起来。这样就可以反复运行大型集合模拟，以确定满足临界安全标准的极限裂变质量。本文记录了在这一框架内实施的主要算法和方法，并提供了应用于关闭后临界建模的背景和示例结果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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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.