Neutronic design space exploration for salt-cooled reactor system based on advanced gas-cooled reactor technology

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

Nuclear Engineering and Design Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114000

Zhiyao Xing , Paul Cosgrove , Marat Margulis , Eugene Shwageraus

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHRs) offer high power densities and operating temperatures. The current paper continues to explore the possibility to leverage the knowledge gathered in the operation of British Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) fleet to expedite the FHR deployment. The paper looks into the neutronic performance of the potential fuel assembly inside the thermal-hydraulics optimised space. Neutronic simulations were performed at Beginning of Life conditions to identify design streams that demonstrated potential for the most favourable fuel cycle economic performance and other strategic advantages such as tritium-free NaF-ZrF₄ coolant. The study identified several possible assembly configurations with favourable neutronic performance (i.e., negative coolant temperature coefficient). The designs were considered best performing where no further modification of the design parameters led to simultaneous improvement in both k_∞ and CTC. The best performing configuration contained FLiBe, uranium-carbide fuel and a small volume fraction of graphite.

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来源期刊

Nuclear Engineering and Design 工程技术-核科学技术

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

11.80%

发文量

377

审稿时长

5 months

期刊介绍： Nuclear Engineering and Design covers the wide range of disciplines involved in the engineering, design, safety and construction of nuclear fission reactors. The Editors welcome papers both on applied and innovative aspects and developments in nuclear science and technology. Fundamentals of Reactor Design include: • Thermal-Hydraulics and Core Physics • Safety Analysis, Risk Assessment (PSA) • Structural and Mechanical Engineering • Materials Science • Fuel Behavior and Design • Structural Plant Design • Engineering of Reactor Components • Experiments Aspects beyond fundamentals of Reactor Design covered: • Accident Mitigation Measures • Reactor Control Systems • Licensing Issues • Safeguard Engineering • Economy of Plants • Reprocessing / Waste Disposal • Applications of Nuclear Energy • Maintenance • Decommissioning Papers on new reactor ideas and developments (Generation IV reactors) such as inherently safe modular HTRs, High Performance LWRs/HWRs and LMFBs/GFR will be considered; Actinide Burners, Accelerator Driven Systems, Energy Amplifiers and other special designs of power and research reactors and their applications are also encouraged.