Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering最新文献

CAD and constructive solid geometry modeling of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment with OpenMC 利用 OpenMC 对熔盐反应堆实验进行 CAD 和构造实体几何建模

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-05-09 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2024.1385478

Seda Yilmaz, Paul K. Romano, Lorenzo Chierici, Erik B. Knudsen, P. Shriwise

{"title":"CAD and constructive solid geometry modeling of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment with OpenMC","authors":"Seda Yilmaz, Paul K. Romano, Lorenzo Chierici, Erik B. Knudsen, P. Shriwise","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2024.1385478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2024.1385478","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we present a detailed comparison of two independently developed models of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) for Monte Carlo particle transport simulations: the constructive solid geometry (CSG) model that was developed in support of the MSRE benchmark in the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments, and a CAD model that was developed by Copenhagen Atomics. The original Serpent reference CSG model was first converted to OpenMC’s input format so that it could be systematically compared to the CAD model, which was already available as an OpenMC model, using the same Monte Carlo code. Results from simulations using the Serpent and OpenMC CSG models showed that keff agreed within 10 pcm while the flux distribution in space and energy generally agreed within 0.1%. Larger differences were observed between the OpenMC CAD and CSG models; notably, the keff computed for the CAD model was 1.00872, which is more than 1% lower than the value for the CSG model and much closer to experiment. Several areas of the reactor that were modeled differently in the CSG and CAD models were discussed and, in several cases, their impact on keff was quantified. Lastly, we compared the computational performance and memory usage between the CAD and CSG models. Simulation of the CSG model was found to be 1.4–2.3× faster than simulation of the CAD model based on the Embree ray tracer while using 4× less memory, highlighting the need for continued improvements in the CAD-based particle transport ecosystem. Finally, major performance degradation was observed for CAD-based simulations when using the MOAB ray tracer.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":" 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140995751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Effects of the U.S. inflation reduction act on SMR economics 美国降低通货膨胀法案对 SMR 经济的影响

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-05-09 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2024.1379414

Levi Morin Larsen, Kathryn Biegel, Nahuel Guaita, Andrew Foss

{"title":"Effects of the U.S. inflation reduction act on SMR economics","authors":"Levi Morin Larsen, Kathryn Biegel, Nahuel Guaita, Andrew Foss","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2024.1379414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2024.1379414","url":null,"abstract":"The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 provides a wide array of tax credits and other incentives for low-carbon energy. The technology-neutral clean generation production tax credit (PTC) (Section 45Y of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code) and the technology-neutral investment tax credit (ITC) (Section 48E) lower the net cost of new electricity generation projects with zero or negative greenhouse gas emission rates. We evaluate the impact of the IRA legislation—specifically the PTC and ITC—on the cost-competitiveness of small modular reactors (SMRs). We use the Argonne Low-carbon Energy Analysis Framework (A-LEAF) model to calculate the capacity factor of an SMR with a range of hypothetical variable operating and maintenance (O&M) costs in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electricity market. We selected ERCOT for market modeling because of its competitive structure, available data, and extensive use in prior literature. We use a discounted cash flow model to calculate the SMR’s net present value based on the market prices and capacity factors from A-LEAF, hypothetical ranges of capital and variable O&M costs, and other input parameters, with or without the IRA tax credits. We determine the SMR owner’s optimal choice of PTC or ITC for the hypothetical ranges of capital and variable O&M costs. We also evaluate potential shifts in the SMR owner’s optimal choice of PTC or ITC based on historical patterns of nuclear capital cost overruns in the United States. We also assess the sensitivity of our results to longer PTC period and electricity prices from the New England market, which tend to be higher than electricity prices in ERCOT. We find that even with the IRA tax credits, only SMRs with low capital and variable O&M costs would be economically feasible in the low-price ERCOT market scenario modeled. A longer PTC period and higher-price market such as New England, however, would significantly expand the economic feasibility of SMRs in the United States.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":" 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140995628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Fusion plasma turbulence research beyond the burning plasma era: perspectives on transport model validation in fusion and fission 超越燃烧等离子体时代的聚变等离子体湍流研究：聚变和裂变中输运模型验证的视角

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-05-07 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2024.1380108

A. E. White, E. Baglietto, M. Bucci, N. T. Howard, P. Rodriguez-Fernandez

{"title":"Fusion plasma turbulence research beyond the burning plasma era: perspectives on transport model validation in fusion and fission","authors":"A. E. White, E. Baglietto, M. Bucci, N. T. Howard, P. Rodriguez-Fernandez","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2024.1380108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2024.1380108","url":null,"abstract":"In fusion, the validation of turbulent transport models is undertaken with the goals of making basic physics discoveries as well as for development of new predictive models to improve the operation and enhance the performance of existing and future fusion reactors. A fusion industry is just beginning to emerge globally. Like fission, validation in fusion energy research is a vibrant research area, but unlike fusion, a fission industry exists. The fission power industry motivates validation efforts, often performed at universities with small-scale experiments and advanced models and simulations developed in-house. Because fission research spans basic physics and applications, and addresses near-term and long-term industry interests, validation is thriving. This perspective article describes the validation of turbulent transport models in both fusion research and fission research, draws parallels between the validation methods and techniques used in two areas of the fields, and presents an outlook for thriving university fusion and fission research programs underpinned by a virtual cycle of basic and applied research that supports industry needs as well as tackling intellectual grand challenges.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":"28 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141005463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Key results from examinations of seven high burnup pressurized water reactor spent nuclear fuel rods 对七根高燃耗压水堆乏核燃料棒进行检查的主要结果

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-03-21 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2024.1321627

Rosemary Montgomery, B. Bevard, P. Cantonwine, Yadukrishnan Sasikumar

{"title":"Key results from examinations of seven high burnup pressurized water reactor spent nuclear fuel rods","authors":"Rosemary Montgomery, B. Bevard, P. Cantonwine, Yadukrishnan Sasikumar","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2024.1321627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2024.1321627","url":null,"abstract":"At present, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assemblies discharged from US commercial power plants are placed into dry storage following a short cooling time (<10 years) in the plant’s spent fuel pool. The process of packaging the spent fuel into dry-storage canisters includes a drying step to remove residual water from the canister. During the drying process, the fuel rod cladding may reach temperatures as high as 400°C. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is performing destructive examinations of high burnup (HBU) (>45 GWd/MTU) SNF rods to address knowledge and data gaps related to extended interim storage and eventual transportation for disposal. The rods examined include four different kinds of fuel rod cladding: standard Zircaloy-4 (Zirc-4), low-tin (LT) Zirc-4, ZIRLO, and M5. Three rods were subjected to a thermal transient to assess the effects of decay-heat-driven high temperatures expected during vacuum drying of the fuel as it is prepared for interim dry storage. The examinations focus on the composite fuel rod performance, as compared with the performance of defueled rod cladding, and establish the baseline mechanical properties of a fuel rod before interim dry storage. The key results of these examinations are presented, including the measured mechanical and fatigue properties, observations of cladding hydrogen pickup and hydride reorientation effects on rod performance, effects of the simulated drying temperatures on rod performance, and general conclusions of SNF performance in extended interim dry storage and transport. The rods were found to be strong and durable in the expected loading conditions, even considering the formation of radial hydrides associated with vacuum drying. The combined testing provides a broad body of data supporting extended interim storage and transportation performance of HBU spent fuel.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":"136 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140223708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Optical density of high fluence autoradiographic images to study boron microdistribution: validation of the technique in tissue sections 研究硼微观分布的高荧光自显影图像的光学密度：组织切片技术的验证

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-03-12 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2024.1363880

M. S. Espain, J. S. Viglietti, C. Vidal, D. Martin, V. Trivillin, A. Monti Hughes, M. A. Palmieri, L. De Leo, M. A. Garabalino, P. Curotto, S. I. Thorp, E. C. C. Pozzi, G. Saint Martin, A. Portu

{"title":"Optical density of high fluence autoradiographic images to study boron microdistribution: validation of the technique in tissue sections","authors":"M. S. Espain, J. S. Viglietti, C. Vidal, D. Martin, V. Trivillin, A. Monti Hughes, M. A. Palmieri, L. De Leo, M. A. Garabalino, P. Curotto, S. I. Thorp, E. C. C. Pozzi, G. Saint Martin, A. Portu","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2024.1363880","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2024.1363880","url":null,"abstract":"The distribution of boron in biological samples coming from BNCT protocols can be determined by the analysis of autoradiographic images formed by nuclear tracks on polymeric detectors. The tissue section is first explored to delimit regions of interest (ROIs), and then it is removed in order to reveal nuclear tracks through an etching process. A quantitative autoradiographic technique was developed to measure the boron concentration in the sample by counting the nuclear tracks on the detector. However, under certain circumstances, rapid measurements of boron distribution are required. For that purpose, a methodology was developed, allowing a rapid and easy determination of boron concentration and distribution in a tissue section by measuring grey levels in the corresponding high fluence autoradiographic image (HFA). The grey levels are then converted to optical density values which are then correlated with boron concentration values. In order to validate the technique, consecutive sections of several tissue samples were analyzed by the conventional counting method and by HFA. The image analysis and boron concentration estimation can be carried out in under 15 min, and relative differences between zones can be easily determined.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":"62 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140249354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Phase equilibria of advanced technology uranium silicide-based nuclear fuel 先进技术硅化铀核燃料的相平衡

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-01-22 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2023.1340426

T. Ulrich, T. Besmann

引用次数: 0

Investigating the thermal and irradiation stability of chemical vapor deposited erbium oxide tritium barrier coatings for Li breeder blanket applications 研究用于锂增殖毯的化学气相沉积氧化铒氚阻挡层的热稳定性和辐照稳定性

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-01-22 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2023.1332377

Hazel M. Gardner, G. Zilahi, James Wade-Zhu

{"title":"Investigating the thermal and irradiation stability of chemical vapor deposited erbium oxide tritium barrier coatings for Li breeder blanket applications","authors":"Hazel M. Gardner, G. Zilahi, James Wade-Zhu","doi":"10.3389/fnuen.2023.1332377","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnuen.2023.1332377","url":null,"abstract":"Two-micron thick erbium oxide tritium barrier coatings have been prepared by aerosol injection chemical vapor deposition and subsequently irradiated with 33 MeV Au 6+ ions at fluences up to 2.1 × 1016 Au/m2 at 550°C. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the coating surface morphologies, phase structures and cross-sectional microstructures as a function of irradiation and thermal treatment. XRD data was also used to extract information about the evolution of lattice strain in the coating. Some of the cubic erbia transformed to the monoclinic phase in the sample that was ion irradiated at temperature, and this was accompanied by a change from columnar to a more equiaxed grain structure. All coatings were found to experience out-of-plane tensile strain, thought to originate from thermal stresses created during coating manufacture. Thermal treatment reduced microstrains present in the as-deposited sample, whilst the cubic-to-monoclinic phase transformation reduced strain in the cubic phase but increased strain in the monoclinic phase.","PeriodicalId":400400,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering","volume":"46 22","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139608408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

High-temperature thermal imaging to inform the arc-melt synthesis of nuclear materials 高温热成像为核材料的电弧熔融合成提供信息

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-01-12 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2023.1322209

Jordan Stone, Mira Khair, Steven Cavazos, Elizabeth S. Sooby

引用次数: 0

Advancing nuclear safety 推进核安全

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-01-04 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2023.1346555

Enrico Zio

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Ambient melting behavior of stoichiometric uranium oxides 化学计量铀氧化物的常温熔化行为

Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering Pub Date : 2024-01-03 DOI: 10.3389/fnuen.2023.1215418

Leonid Burakovsky, S. Ramsey, R. Baty

引用次数: 0