Neutronic Analysis of Accident-Tolerant Fuel Assemblies With Silicon Carbide Cladding in Pressurized Water Reactors

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixiong Tan ◽  
Jiejin Cai
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Carbide ◽  
Fuel Assembly ◽  
Power Distribution ◽  
Safety Margin ◽  
Severe Accident ◽  
Pressurized Water Reactors ◽  
Fuel Pellet ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Neutronic Parameters ◽  
Water Reactors

After Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, alternative fuel-design to enhance tolerance for severe accident conditions becomes particularly important. Silicon carbide (SiC) cladding fuel assembly gain more safety margin as novel accident tolerant fuel. This paper focuses on the neutron properties of SiC cladding fuel assembly in pressurized water reactors. Annular fuel pellet was adopted in this paper. Two types of silicon carbide assemblies were evaluated via using lattice calculation code “dragon”. Type one was consisted of 0.057cm SiC cladding and conventional fuel. Type two was consisted of 0.089cm SiC cladding and BeO/UO2 fuel. Compared the results of SiC cladding fuel assembly neutronic parameters with conventional Zircaloy cladding fuel assembly, this paper analyzed the safety of neutronic parameters performance. Results demonstrate that assembly-level reactivity coefficient is kept negative, meanwhile, the numerical value got a relatively decrease. Other parameters are conformed to the design-limiting requirement. SiC kinds cladding show more flat power distribution. SiC cases also show the ability of reducing the enrichment of fuel pellets even though it has higher xenon concentration. These types of assembly have broadly agreement neutron performance with the conventional cladding fuel, which confirmed the acceptability of SiC cladding in the way of neutron physics analysis.

A Comparative Study on Severe Accident Phenomena Related to Melt Progression in Sodium Fast Reactors and Pressurized Water Reactors

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bachrata ◽  
Fréderic Bertrand ◽  
Nathalie Marie ◽  
Fréderic Serre
Keyword(s):  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Severe Accident ◽  
Pressurized Water Reactors ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Fast Reactors ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
The Core ◽  
Sodium Fast Reactors ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Accident Scenarios

Abstract The nuclear safety approach has to cover accident sequences involving core degradation in order to develop reliable mitigation strategies for both existing and future reactors. In particular, the long-term stabilization of the degraded core materials and their coolability has to be ensured after a severe accident. This paper focuses on severe accident phenomena in pressurized water reactors (PWR) compared to those potentially occurring in future GenIV-type sodium fast reactors (SFR). First, the two considered reactor concepts are introduced by focusing on safety aspects. The severe accident scenarios leading to core melting are presented and the initiating events are highlighted. This paper focuses on in-vessel severe accident phenomena, including the chronology of core damage, major changes in the core configuration and molten core progression. Regarding the mitigation means, the in-vessel retention phenomena and the core catcher characteristics are reviewed for these different nuclear generation concepts (II, III, and IV). A comparison between the PWR and SFR severe accident evolution is provided as well as the relation between governing physical parameters and the adopted mitigation provisions for each reactor concept. Finally, it is highlighted how the robustness of the safety demonstration is established by means of a combined probabilistic and deterministic approach.

scholarly journals Assessment of severe accident source terms in pressurized-water reactors with a 40% mixed-oxide and 60% low-enriched uranium core using MELCOR 1.8.5.

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall O. Gauntt ◽  
Andrew S. Goldmann ◽  
Kenneth C. Wagner ◽  
Dana Auburn Powers ◽  
Scott G. Ashbaugh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Oxide ◽  
Severe Accident ◽  
Pressurized Water Reactors ◽  
Source Terms ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Enriched Uranium

scholarly journals Burnable Poison Selection and Neutronics Analysis of Plate Fuel Assemblies

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shikun Xu ◽  
Tao Yu ◽  
Jinsen Xie ◽  
Lei Yao ◽  
Zhulun Li
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Assembly ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Pressurized Water Reactors ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Burnable Poison ◽  
Fuel Assemblies ◽  
Long Life ◽  
Water Reactors ◽  
Selection Of

Burnable poisons play a critical role in long-life pressurized water reactors. Plate fuel elements have good application prospects in long-life pressurized water reactors. In long-life pressurized water reactors with large initial residual reactivity in the core, a reasonable selection of burnable poisons can suppress the large residual reactivity at beginning of lifetime and can achieve a long burnup depth at end of lifetime. Therefore, the selection of burnable poisons is a crucial factor to be considered in the design of long-life pressurized water reactors. In this study, the selection of burnable poisons and neutronics characteristics of long-life PWR plate fuel assembly were studied. The transport-burnup calculations of different burnable poison fuel assemblies were carried out. Some candidate BPs are selected to realize the effective control of reactivity. The results show that when the enriched isotopes 157Gd, 167Er and B4C are used as burnable poisons, there is almost no reactivity penalty; when PACS-J and 231Pa are used as burnable poisons, due to their own characteristics, not only does not cause reactivity penalty at end of lifetime, but also the fuel assembly life is extended, the fuel utilization rate is improved. The combination of PACS-J and the slow-burnup burnable poisons can obtain a better reactivity curve. The results of this article show that the plate fuel assemblies can be selected with enriched isotope 157Gd, enriched isotope 167Er, B4C, 231Pa and PACS-J as burnable poisons, and the combinations of burnable poisons can be selected with two combination schemes, PACS-Er and PACS-Pa.

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