Evaluation of end of cycle plutonium isotopic content in a VVER-1000 reactor using a 3D full-core simulator

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21340%2F21%3A00351300" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21340/21:00351300 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111133" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111133</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111133" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111133</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Evaluation of end of cycle plutonium isotopic content in a VVER-1000 reactor using a 3D full-core simulator

Original language description

Detailed three-dimensional (3D) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) isotopic composition analysis using a full-core 3D nodal simulator is not a widespread practice within production-level nuclear analysis fuel management codes. A 3D full-core pin-wise detailed isotopic analysis can be very time consuming, so more often than not, reduced geometries are used, either based on two-dimensional (2D) lattice-physics, single fuel pins, or point-reactor (0D) estimations. In fact, the typical macroscopic cross section based codes do not usually have the ability to evaluate the full detailed composition of SNF, but instead may track only a few isotopes in spatially homogenized regions. Accordingly, a microscopic cross section based depletion sequence was revisited within the otherwise macroscopic-based NESTLE code. To illustrate this capability, the plutonium content of SNF within a VVER-1000 benchmark was calculated and its non-proliferation risk was estimated. The total plutonium masses and 239Pu fractions were calculated on a 3D node-by-node basis using an established VVER-1000 NESTLE benchmark model. The total plutonium mass after the first cycle is estimated at 502.6 kg, and it increased to 523.4 kg after 90 days of decay. The mass of plutonium with a 239Pu content greater than 80% at the end of cycle is about 7.8 kg, while all remaining content shows to have a 239Pu fraction below 87%. The plutonium content with a 239Pu fraction greater than 80% after 20 days of the end of cycle is less than 7.9 kg. This article highlights a feature of the NESTLE code that can help make isotopic assessments radially and axially for fuel assemblies located in different regions of the core, thus accounting for the varying 3D conditions and flux distributions as a function of exposure.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

20305 - Nuclear related engineering; (nuclear physics to be 1.3);

Project

<a href="/en/project/EF16_013%2F0001790" target="_blank" >EF16_013/0001790: Strengthening and development of research at Czech Technical University in Prague with the use of research infrastructure VR?1 Training Reactor for research activities</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2021

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Nuclear Engineering and Design

ISSN

0029-5493

e-ISSN

1872-759X

Volume of the periodical

377

Issue of the periodical within the volume

111133

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

8

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

000663078600002

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85102854591