The effects of different fuel cladding materials on neutronic behavior and fuel depletion performance in the VVER-1200 reactor

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

Annals of Nuclear Energy Pub Date : 2024-11-22 DOI:10.1016/j.anucene.2024.111071

Ayhan Kara, Emil Mammadzada

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of different fuel cladding materials on the performance and safety of VVER-1200 reactors using the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo code. Cladding materials evaluated include Zircaloy, 304SS, 310SS, FeCrAl, APMT, TiC, ZrC, and SiC. Key parameters assessed are fuel performance, neutronic behavior, infinite multiplication factor (kinf), and radioactive fission product levels. Results indicate that Zircaloy, ZrC, and SiC claddings retain criticality longer (kinf > 1) with favorable neutron flux and fission neutron production. TiC, however, loses criticality early and generates high neutron poisons and fission products. Steel alloys (304SS, 310SS), APMT, and FeCrAl demonstrate moderate performance affecting reactor criticality and neutron flux. Overall, Zircaloy is identified as the most effective cladding, balancing criticality, minimizing plutonium buildup, and reducing radioactive fission products, with ZrC and SiC as close competitors.

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不同燃料包层材料对 VVER-1200 反应堆中子行为和燃料耗竭性能的影响

本研究使用 Serpent 2 Monte Carlo 代码研究了不同燃料包壳材料对 VVER-1200 反应堆性能和安全性的影响。评估的包层材料包括锆合金、304SS、310SS、铁铬铝、APMT、TiC、ZrC 和 SiC。评估的主要参数包括燃料性能、中子行为、无限倍增因子（kinf）和放射性裂变产物水平。结果表明，锆合金、碳化锆和碳化硅包壳保持临界状态的时间更长（kinf >1），中子通量和裂变中子产生量也更多。然而，TiC 很早就失去临界状态，并产生大量中子毒物和裂变产物。钢合金（304SS、310SS）、APMT 和 FeCrAl 在影响反应堆临界度和中子通量方面的性能适中。总体而言，锆合金被认为是最有效的包层，它能平衡临界状态、最大限度地减少钚的积累并减少放射性裂变产物，而 ZrC 和 SiC 则是最接近的竞争对手。

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.