Preliminary Core Design and Optimization Analysis of Travelling Wave Reactor

2014 ◽  
Vol 1070-1072 ◽  
pp. 357-360
Author(s):  
Dao Xiang Shen ◽  
Yao Li Zhang ◽  
Qi Xun Guo
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Travelling Wave ◽  
Optimization Analysis ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Uranium Fuel ◽  
Enriched Uranium ◽  
Ignition Zone

A travelling wave reactor (TWR) is an advanced nuclear reactor which is capable of running for decades given only depleted uranium fuel, it is considered one of the most promising solutions for nonproliferation. A preliminary core design was proposed in this paper. The calculation was performed by Monte Carlo method. The burning mechanism of the reactor core design was studied. Optimization on the ignition zone was performed to reduce the amount of enriched uranium initially deployed. The results showed that the preliminary core design was feasible. The optimization analysis showed that the amount of enriched uranium could be reduced under rational design.

scholarly journals Variational methods and speed-up of Monte Carlo perturbation computations for optimal design in nuclear systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-221
Author(s):  
Zafar Koreshi ◽  
Hamda Khan ◽  
Muhammad Yaqub
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Variational Methods ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Optimization Simulation ◽  
Nuclear Systems ◽  
Optimal Mix ◽  
Optimal Material

Seeking optimal material distribution in a nuclear system to maximize a response function of interest has been a subject of considerable interest in nuclear engineering. Examples are the optimal fuel distribution in a nuclear reactor core to achieve uniform burnup using minimum critical mass and the use of composite materials with an optimal mix of constituent elements in detection systems and radiation shielding. For such studies, variational methods have been found to be useful but, they have been used for standalone analyses often restricted to idealized models, while more elaborate design studies have required computationally expensive Monte Carlo simulations ill-suited to iterative schemes for optimization. Such an inherent disadvantage of Monte Carlo methods changed with the development of perturbation algorithms but, their efficiency is still dependent on the reference configuration for which a hit-and-trial approach is often used. In the first illustrative example, this paper explores the computational speedup for a bare cylindrical reactor core, achievable by using a variational result to enhance the computational efficiency of Monte Carlo design optimization simulation. In the second example, the effect of non-uniform material density in a fixed-source problem, applicable to optimal moderator and radiation shielding, is presented. While applications of this work are numerous, the objective of this paper is to present preliminary variational results as inputs to elaborate stochastic optimization by Monte Carlo simulation for large and realistic systems.

Unprotected Loss of Flow Analysis of a Million Kilowatt Traveling Wave Reactor Core

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjun Hu ◽  
Pengrui Qiao
Keyword(s):  
Fast Reactor ◽  
Traveling Wave ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Travelling Wave ◽  
Nuclear Nonproliferation ◽  
Utilization Rate ◽  
Technological Level ◽  
Long Lifetime

Traveling wave reactor (TWR) is an innovation concept nuclear reactor, through the once-through deep burning, the proliferation of fuel can be achieved and the utilization rate of Uranium can be increased. TWR has the characteristics of long lifetime, deep burn up and nuclear nonproliferation, because of its physical character, which makes it to be an attractive innovation concept fast reactor. The China institute of atomic energy (CIAE) has designed a million kilowatt TWR core based on a breeding and burn principle, which has considered the current technological level of sodium cooled fast reactor. In this paper, based on the TWR core design scheme, considered the design of fuel assembly, neutronics and thermal-hydraulic, analyzed the Unprotected loss of flow (ULOF) accident in the TWR core with the SAS4A code, through which research about the transient safety characteristics of a million kilowatt travelling wave reactor core has been done. Analysis shows that the peak temperature of fuel, cladding and coolant in the TWR core have a certain margin from the safety limits through the negative feedback of itself in the ULOF accident, the core of the million kilowatt TWR demonstrates a good safety performance.

Effects of Thickness of Zirconium Liner on Stress-Strain Characteristics of U10Mo Monolithic Plates

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan Ozaltun ◽  
Robert M. Allen ◽  
You Sung Han
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Barrier ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
Stress Strain ◽  
Strain Behavior ◽  
Uranium Fuel ◽  
Plate Design ◽  
Enriched Uranium ◽  
Test Reactor ◽  
Irradiation Performance ◽  
Fuel Elements

The effects of the thickness of Zirconium liner on stress-strain behavior of monolithic fuel mini-plates during fabrication and irradiation processes were studied. Monolithic plate-type fuel elements is a new fuel form being developed for research and test reactors to achieve higher uranium densities which allows the use of low-enriched uranium fuel in reactor core. These fuel elements are comprised of a high density, low enrichment, U–Mo alloy based fuel foil encapsulated in a cladding material made of Aluminum. Early RERTR experiments indicated that the presence of an interaction layer between the fuel and cladding materials causes mechanical problems. To minimize the fuel/cladding interaction, employing a diffusion barrier between the cladding and the fuel materials was proposed. Current monolithic plate design employs a 0.025 mm thick, 99.8% pure annealed Zirconium diffusion barrier between the fuel foil (U10Mo) and the cladding materials (AL6061-O). To benchmark the irradiation performance, a number of plates were irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) with promising irradiation performance. To understand the effects of the thickness of the Zirconium diffusion barrier on the stress-strain behavior of the plates during fabrication, irradiation and shutdown stages, a representative plate from RERTR-12 experiments (Plate L1P7A0) was selected and simulated. Both fabrication and irradiation stages were considered. Simulations were repeated for various Zirconium thicknesses to understand the effects of the thickness of the diffusion barrier. Results of fabrication simulations indicated that Zirconium thickness has noticeable effects on foil’s stresses. Irradiation simulations revealed that the fabrication stresses of the foil would be relieved rapidly in the reactor. Results also showed that Zirconium thickness has little or no effects on irradiation and shutdown stresses.

Neutronics Design Study on Ignition Zone of Travelling Wave Reactor

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Hong Yu ◽  
Zhi Gang ◽  
Keyuan Zhou ◽  
Yun Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traveling Wave ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Travelling Wave ◽  
Reactor Operation ◽  
Geometry Model ◽  
Nuclear Transmutation ◽  
Neutron Poison ◽  
Distribution Of Power ◽  
Distribution Of Power Density ◽  
Ignition Zone

Traveling wave reactor is a kind of nuclear reactor that can convert fertile material into fissile fuel as it runs using the process of nuclear transmutation. In the ignition stage of traveling wave reactor, the core performance is especially complex, since the fissile fuel and fertile material is put in different regions at the beginning. And the distribution of power density will change severely with burn-up during the reactor operation. It is an important part of the traveling wave reactor study to optimize the design of the ignition stage. In this paper, based on a two-dimensional RZ geometry model, some schemes with different sizes and compositions of the ignition zone, middle ignition zone position design and burnable neutron poison addition are simulated and analyzed. Finally, an optimized core design with multi-zone configuration and burnable neutron poison addition is shown. Some design outlines are introduced for further study.

scholarly journals Powering Down

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (04) ◽  
pp. 46-48
Author(s):  
Harry Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Reactor Core ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Significant Feature ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Safety Testing ◽  
Fuel Assemblies ◽  
Enriched Uranium

This article reviews that after a half century of safety testing for the nuclear industry, a key heat-transfer lab is losing its home. Columbia University’s Heat Transfer Research Facility has been the only place to go for key safety testing. Since the days of the Atoms for Peace program during the Eisenhower years, the lab has tested generations of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies. The lab’s clients over the years have included all the designers of pressurized water reactors in the United States and others from much of the world. The tests are primarily concerned with one small, but significant feature of a reactor core. A core contains as many as 3000 fuel assemblies, bundles of long, slender rods containing enriched uranium. Controlled fission among the bundles heats water to begin the series of heat-transfer cycles that send steam to the turbines that will drive generators.

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