Multiphysics coupling analysis of heat pipe reactor considering irradiation effects based on RMC and FEniCSx

IF 2.1 3区工程技术 Q1 NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear Engineering and Design Pub Date : 2025-08-30 DOI:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114414

Dacai Zhang , Ningkun Zhang , Zeguang Li , Yushuo Ren , Zilin Su , Ganglin Yu , Guanghui Zhong , Haochun Ding

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Abstract

In this study, a three-dimensional neutronics-thermal-mechanical multiphysics coupling process was developed based on the reactor Monte Carlo software RMC and the finite element software FEniCSx. The computational model accounts for the irradiation effects on material properties and incorporates the irradiation swelling model to analyze the KRUSTY heat pipe reactor. The results reveal that the negative reactivity induced by thermal expansion accounts for 90% of the total reactivity feedback in the zero-burnup condition. After 15 years burnup, the irradiation effects lead to increases of 11.19% and 10.63% in maximum displacement and stress, while introducing a negative reactivity feedback of 71.69 pcm. With 45 years of operation, the negative reactivity due to irradiation reaches 218 pcm accounting for 26. 86% of the total negative reactivity feedback, the displacement changes caused by the irradiation swelling account 35% of the thermal expansion. These results demonstrate that the irradiation swelling has a significant impact under high burn-up conditions, providing useful insights for the future design of the heat pipe reactor.

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基于RMC和FEniCSx的热管堆辐照效应多物理场耦合分析

本研究基于反应堆蒙特卡罗软件RMC和有限元软件FEniCSx，建立了三维中子-热-机械多物理场耦合过程。该计算模型考虑了辐照对材料性能的影响，并结合辐照膨胀模型对KRUSTY热管反应堆进行了分析。结果表明，在零燃耗条件下，由热膨胀引起的负反应性占总反应性反馈的90%。燃烧15年后，辐照效应导致最大位移和应力分别增加11.19%和10.63%，同时引入71.69 pcm的负反应性反馈。运行45年，辐照负反应性达到218 pcm，占26 pcm。负反应性反馈占总反应性反馈的86%，辐照膨胀引起的位移变化占热膨胀的35%。这些结果表明，在高燃度条件下，辐照膨胀对热管反应堆有显著的影响，为今后热管反应堆的设计提供了有益的见解。

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

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.