scholarly journals Variational characterizations of the effective multiplication factor of a nuclear reactor core

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertrand Lods ◽  
Kerntechnik ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-235
Author(s):  
Y. Alzahrani ◽  
K. Mehboob ◽  
F. A. Abolaban ◽  
H. Younis

Abstract In this study, the Doppler reactivity coefficient has been investigated for UO2, MOX, and (Th/U)O2 fuel types. The calculation has been carried out using the Monte Carlo method ( OpenMC). The effective multiplication factor keff has been evaluated for three materials with four different configurations without Integral Fuel Burnable Absorber (IFBA) rods and soluble boron. The results of MOX fuel, homogenous and heterogeneous thorium fuel configuration has been compared with the core of the reference fuel assembly (UO2). The calculation showed that the effective multiplication factor at 1 000 K was 1.26052, 1.14254, 1.22018 and 1.23771 for reference core, MOX, homogenous and heterogeneous configurations respectively. The results shows that reactivity has decreased with increasing temperature while the doppler reactivity coefficient remained negative. Moreover, the use of (Th/U)O2 homogenous and heterogeneous configuration had shown an improved response compared to the reference core at 600 K and 1 000 K. The doppler reactivity coefficient has been found as –8.98E-3 pcm/K, -0.8 655 pcmK for the homogenous and –8.854 pcm/K, -1.2253 pcm/K for the heterogeneous configuration. However, the pattern remained the same as for the reference core at other temperature points. MOX fuel has shown less response compared to the other fuel configuration because of the high resonance absorption coefficient of Plutonium. This study showed that the SMART reactor could be operated safely with investigated fuel and models.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iman Kuntoro ◽  
Surian Pinem ◽  
Tagor Malem Sembiring

The PWR-FUEL code is a multi dimensional, multi group diffusion code with nodal and finite difference methods. The code will be used to calculate the fuel management of PWR reactor core. The result depends on the accuracy of the codes in producing the core effective multiplication factor and power density distribution. The objective of this research is to validate the PWR-FUEL code for those cases. The validation are carried out by benchmarking cores of IAEA-2D, KOERBERG-2D and BIBLIS-2D. The all three cases have different characteristics, thus it will result in a good accuracy benchmarking. The calculation results of effective multiplication factor have a maximum difference of 0.014 %, which is greater than the reference values. For the power peaking factor, the maximum deviation is 1.75 % as compared to the reference values. Those results show that the accuracy of PWR-FUEL in calculating the static parameter of PWR reactor benchmarks are very satisfactory.Keywords: Validation, PWR-FUEL code, static parameter. VALIDASI PROGRAM PWR-FUEL UNTUK PARAMETER STATIK PADA TERAS BENCHMARK LWR. Program PWR-FUEL adalah program difusi multi-dimensi, multi-kelompok dengan metode nodal dan metode beda hingga. Program ini akan digunakan untuk menghitung manajemen bahan bakar teras reaktor PWR. Akurasi manajemen bahan bakar teras PWR tergantung pada akurasi program dalam memprediksi faktor multiplikasi efektif teras dan distribusi rapat daya. Untuk itu dilakukan validasi program PWR-FUEL sebagai tujuan dalam penelitian ini.  Validasi PWR-FUEL dilakukan menggunakan teras benchmark IAEA-2D, KOERBERG-2D dan BIBLIS-2D. Ketiga kasus ini mempunyai karaktristik yang berbeda sehingga akan memberikan hasil benchmark yang akurat. Hasil perhitungan faktor multiplikasi efektif terdapat perbedaan maksimum adalah 0,014 % lebih besar dari referensi. Sedangkan untuk perhitungan faktor puncak daya, terdapat perbedaan maksimum 1,75 % dibanding harga referensi. Hasil perhitungan menunjukkan bahwa akurasi paket program PWR-FUEL dalam menghitung parameter statik benchmark reaktor PWR menunjukkan hasil yang sangat memuaskan.Kata kunci: Validasi, program PWR-FUEL, parameter statik


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Huu Tiep Nguyen ◽  
Viet Phu Tran ◽  
Tuan Khai Nguyen ◽  
Vinh Thanh Tran ◽  
Minh Tuan Nguyen

This paper presents the results of neutronic calculations using the deterministic and Monte-Carlo methods (the SRAC and MCNP5codes) for the VVER MOX Core Computational Benchmark Specification and the VVER-1000/V392 reactor core. The power distribution and keff value have been calculated for a benchmark problem of VVER core. The results show a good agreement between the SRAC and MCNP5 calculations. Then, neutronic characteristics of VVER-1000/V392 such as power distribution, infinite multiplication factor (k-inf) of the fuel assemblies, effective multiplication factor keff, peaking factor and Doppler coefficient were calculated using the two codes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Galicia-Aragón ◽  
R. Raya-Arredondo ◽  
H. S. Cruz-Galindo

Abstract The value of βeff for Training Research Isotopes of General Atomics (TRIGA) Mark III reactor, belonging to the National Institute of Nuclear Researches (ININ), is reported. The TRIGA Mark III reactor core was simulated with MCNP6 to deduce the effective multiplication factor (keff) for critical state and after a small insertion of positive reactivity (∼0.20 $). To perform more realistic simulations, we had to incorporate in the composition of the low-enrichment uranium (LEU) fuel element the produced poisons in a time period of six years, considering the operation time in days, during which the reactor was operating at maximum power (1 MWth). The calculation of the βeff value was obtained with the keff results, calculated with the code, and the reactor periods measured experimentally. We also obtained directly the βeff value, through the card of MCNP6 to calculate keff (KOPTS) card of the MCNP6 code in order to compare both values.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1225-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrdad Boroushaki ◽  
Mohammad B. Ghofrani ◽  
Caro Lucas

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 66-75
Author(s):  
S. A. Titov ◽  
N. M. Barbin ◽  
A. M. Kobelev

Introduction. The article provides a system and statistical analysis of emergency situations associated with fires at nuclear power plants (NPPs) in various countries of the world for the period from 1955 to 2019. The countries, where fires occurred at nuclear power plants, were identified (the USA, Great Britain, Switzerland, the USSR, Germany, Spain, Japan, Russia, India and France). Facilities, exposed to fires, are identified; causes of fires are indicated. The types of reactors where accidents and incidents, accompanied by large fires, have been determined.The analysis of major emergency situations at nuclear power plants accompanied by large fires. During the period from 1955 to 2019, 27 large fires were registered at nuclear power plants in 10 countries. The largest number of major fires was registered in 1984 (three fires), all of them occurred in the USSR. Most frequently, emergency situations occurred at transformers and cable channels — 40 %, nuclear reactor core — 15 %, reactor turbine — 11 %, reactor vessel — 7 %, steam pipeline systems, cooling towers — 7 %. The main causes of fires were technical malfunctions — 33 %, fires caused by the personnel — 30 %, fires due to short circuits — 18 %, due to natural disasters (natural conditions) — 15 % and unknown reasons — 4 %. A greater number of fires were registered at RBMK — 6, VVER — 5, BWR — 3, and PWR — 3 reactors.Conclusions. Having analyzed accidents, involving large fires at nuclear power plants during the period from 1955 to 2019, we come to the conclusion that the largest number of large fires was registered in the USSR. Nonetheless, to ensure safety at all stages of the life cycle of a nuclear power plant, it is necessary to apply such measures that would prevent the occurrence of severe fires and ensure the protection of personnel and the general public from the effects of a radiation accident.


Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Merk ◽  
Mark Bankhead ◽  
Dzianis Litskevich ◽  
Robert Gregg ◽  
Aiden Peakman ◽  
...  

The U.K. has initiated the nuclear renaissance by contracting for the first two new plants and announcing further new build projects. The U.K. government has recently started to support this development with the announcement of a national programme of nuclear innovation. The aim of this programme with respect to modelling and simulation is foreseen to fulfil the demand in education and the build-up of a reasonably qualified workforce, as well as the development and application of a new state-of-the-art software environment for improved economics and safety. This document supports the ambition to define a new approach to the structured development of nuclear reactor core simulation that is based on oversight instead of looking at detail problems and the development of single tools for these specific detail problems. It is based on studying the industrial demand to bridge the gap in technical innovation that can be derived from basic research in order to create a tailored industry solution to set the new standard for reactor core modelling and simulation for the U.K. However, finally, a technical requirements specification has to be developed alongside the strategic approach to give code developers a functional specification that they can use to develop the tools for the future. Key points for a culture change to the application of modern technologies are identified in the use of DevOps in a double-strata approach to academic and industrial code development. The document provides a novel, strategic approach to achieve the most promising final product for industry, and to identify the most important points for improvement.


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