二维输运燃耗耦合程序开发与验证

为准确计算反应堆内燃耗问题,建立了基于二维离散纵标法及BATEMAN燃耗方法的输运燃耗耦合计算方法,并开发相应的计算程序。基于ENDF/B-Ⅶ评价库开发了175群中子和42群光子截面数据库MUSE-F1.0,采用OECD/NEA发布的MOX燃料快堆基准题对耦合计算方法及程序系统进行验证计算。结果表明,耦合计算程序结果与基准题吻合良好,误差在8%以内,初步验证了耦合计算程序在快堆嬗变工程应用中的可行性。     

消息传递并行燃耗程序MCBMPI的栅元验证

程序采用模块化思想,其中输运部分采用MCNP5程序的消息传递并行版本MCNP5MPI,燃耗计算采用截断泰勒展开的矩阵指数法、TTA线性子链解析法和高斯-赛德尔迭代法三者相结合的燃耗求解方法,并行策略为对多燃耗区采用区域分解的MPI消息传递并行,完成了并行化蒙特卡罗燃耗程序MCBMPI的研制。整个程序系统仅由MCNP5MPI和燃耗程序组成,其中燃耗程序包含了对多燃耗区的区域分解并行功能、核素转换与衰变计算功能以及与MCNP5MPI的数据交换功能。并以压水堆栅元燃耗基准题对程序进行验证,验证结果表明:该程序可用于多燃耗区的并行燃耗计算,伴随计算机硬件性能的改善可显著提高计算效率。     

铅基快堆RBEC-M燃耗库制作方法研究及验证

      提出了一套新的方法流程，用来处理和生成燃耗计算所需的数据。利用核数据处理程序NJOY处理评价数据库ENDF-B-Ⅶ.1生成33群的MATXS格式库，再根据具体问题中的材料信息，经截面处理程序MGGC处理得到相关核素的微观、宏观截面，经自编写的处理模块Triso对其进行格式转化、合并，最终得到提供给燃耗计算程序使用的ISOTXS库文件，其中一般核素以微观截面的形式表示，裂变产物以类似宏观截面的伪裂变产物形式表示。对铅冷快堆基准题900 MW RBEC-M进行了计算，采用REBUS-3进行燃耗计算，对比了结果中的有效增殖系数k_eff随燃耗的变化趋势、功率分布以及中子能谱，最终结果与参考报告较为符合，初步验证了这一系列燃耗库制作流程的可行性。      

蒙特卡罗燃耗计算程序MCNTRANS的开发与验证

本文介绍了开发的蒙特卡罗燃耗计算程序MCNTRANS。MCNTRANS的中子学计算参数直接采用MCNP5程序的反应率计算值,燃耗计算方法采用图论算法跟踪燃耗链,同时,对实际燃耗过程进行详细分析以提高计算精度与程序适用性,并使用预估 校正方法以获取较大的燃耗计算步长。程序计算结果通过OECD/NEA与JAERI燃耗基准题实验结果进行验证,并与其他程序的计算结果进行比较。结果表明,MCNTRANS程序在不同燃耗深度下的计算结果和实验值与其他程序的计算值符合较好,部分锕系核素与裂变产物的计算精度更高。     

裂变产额数据对铅基快堆RBEC-M燃耗计算影响研究

第四代核能系统是一种具有更好安全性、经济竞争力、核废物减少,以及防止核扩散的先进核能系统,代表了先进核能系统的发展趋势和技术前沿。铅基快堆是第四代核能系统中重要堆型之一。目前国际上通用的反应堆程序,比如MCNP+ORIGEN、RMC或者Serpent,很多研究主要针对压水堆,国际上也有研究发现针对铅基快堆基准题RBEC-M,确定论方法和蒙卡方法计算结果有较大偏差。本文深入研究了蒙卡程序使用的裂变产额对计算结果的影响。首先对反应堆蒙特卡罗程序RMC自带和燃耗库中的部分核素的裂变产额数据进行了更新,采用国际上著名RBEC-M基准题和OECD/NEA发布的快堆Pu循环燃耗基准题进行了验证分析,计算得到了裂变份额数据对快堆燃耗计算的影响。计算结果表明:更新后的裂变产额数据对系统的有效增殖因子和主要重核的质量变化影响较小,但对部分裂变产物的质量变化影响较大,部分核素偏差超过86%。对于快堆Pu循环燃耗基准题,长寿命高放废物~(133)Cs和~(129)I的计算结果偏差分别可达22.4%和47.8%,这将对长寿命高放废物的嬗变效率和核燃料循环有重要影响。     

基于CRAM的压水堆燃耗程序开发及验证

本文基于Cinder90燃耗数据库开发了燃耗求解程序MCRAM,并耦合MCNP程序对重要的锕系核素和裂变产物核素的反应截面进行了修正。以OECD/NEA乏燃料成分基准数据库中的Takahama-3压水堆燃料组件为基准题,对MCRAM程序的计算结果进行了验证,并与其他程序的计算结果进行了比较。结果表明,MCRAM程序对重要裂变产物和主要锕系核素的计算结果相对偏差小于5%,计算精度与ORIGEN2程序的相当。与此同时,同一例题的计算效率MCRAM较之MCNTRANS程序提高了近200倍。     

基于蒙特卡罗方法的燃耗计算误差研究

基于蒙特卡罗方法进行燃耗计算时,随着燃耗加深,燃耗的计算误差逐渐增大。本文针对蒙特卡罗方法的燃耗计算误差进行研究,并采取修正措施改善燃耗计算的精度。结果表明：采用无偏差最小方差(UMV)修正可改善统计误差的传递效应,采用密度修正可保证蒙特卡罗输运计算的准确性,在此基础上局部优化燃耗截面库,进一步改善了燃耗计算的精度,为其工程应用奠定了基础。     

基于组件计算的燃耗实验基准题建模分析

组件计算在堆芯核设计中占有重要地位。组件程序的燃耗计算精度对核反应堆堆芯的功率分布、换料寿期及反应性控制设计方面具有重要意义。为了评估用于堆芯燃耗计算的多群常数库的准确性,本文运用DRAGON计算程序建立了燃耗实验计算模型,采用SFCOMPO-2.0燃耗实验基准题提供的乏燃料样品燃耗历史参数及最终核素组分信息,对Takahama-3反应堆、H.B. Robinson-2反应堆及Beznau-1反应堆系列样品进行了建模计算,并将计算结果与SFCOMPO-2.0数据库中的基准实验结果进行了对比和分析。结果表明:多数核素的模拟结果与基准值符合良好,误差在10%以内。同时本文对理论计算值与基准实验值存在差异较大的几种核素进行了相应讨论,并对样品计算结果进行了对比分析。     

燃耗数据库基准检验方法研究

燃耗数据库基准检验方法对于研制高准确度的燃耗数据库至关重要。本文以TAKAHAMA 3压水堆辐照后检验实验中SF95样品的建模为例，研究了建模要素对燃耗计算的影响，确定了燃耗实验建模的方法，开展了燃耗信用制研究感兴趣的锕系和裂变产物核素积存量计算值与实验值的比对。比对结果显示，主锕系核素计算偏差小于2%，大部分次锕系核素偏差小于10%，大部分重要裂变产物核素偏差小于5%。本文还对125Sb积存量随燃耗深度变化规律进行了理论分析，确认了破坏性放化实验测量结果存在缺陷，并进一步获得了125Sb积存量的修正值，使计算偏差从接近170%下降到20%以内。本次研究表明，燃耗数据库基准检验研究不仅需发展适当的燃耗实验建模方法，还需对实验数据进行适当的评价。     

基于计数器数据分解的RMC全堆燃耗计算研究

内存不足是蒙特卡罗方法大规模输运模拟的关键问题。对于反应堆燃耗分析,需在输运过程中统计大量反应截面数据,计算机内存限制了燃耗计算规模。本文基于反应堆蒙特卡罗程序(RMC),利用数据分解方法对计数器数据并行存储,并与点燃耗并行耦合,实现计数器数据分解和燃耗数据分解的综合并行方法。对全堆基准题进行数值测试,结果表明综合并行方法可明显降低计算内存,验证了数据分解对蒙特卡罗大规模燃耗分析的有效性。     

Increasing fuel burnup in VVER

The results of investigations of fuel burnup increase in VVER are presented. The influence of the costs of different technological stages, changes in the number of refuelings and run time, fuel enrichment and waste, and the consumption of natural uranium on increasing burnup is examined. An analysis taking account of the uncertainty of future prices is performed. The price for natural uranium up to 2020 is estimated using a model. The results presented in this article show that the cost reduction in the fuel component with an increase of VVER fuel burnup in an open fuel cycle can be 6%. __________ Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 104, No. 3, pp. 137–141, March, 2008.     

First-collisions probabilities calculation of strong absorbers burnup

A method for calculating, using a matrix neutron first-collisions probabilities which is reconstructed at each step, the burnup of cells and fuel assemblies is presented. A method for reconstruction and correction of the first-collisions probabilities using average chords to the first collision of a neutron, which are calculated using the geometric module for reconstructing the stochastic trajectories of neutrons, is described. The results of a calculation of the multiplication coefficient of elementary cells with different material composition relative to the reference cell are presented. Computational results are presented for the burnup of a VVER fuel-assembly fragment with a consumable absorber are presented.     

Characterization of simulated burnup fuel by nanoindentation

A simulated burnup UO₂ based fuel (150 GWd/t) was prepared by solid-state reactions. The phase equilibria of the simulated fuel were evaluated by XRD and SEM/EDX analysis. Nanoindentation tests were performed for the simulated fuel at room temperature in air. The modulus and hardness of the matrix phase and oxide precipitates that exit in the simulated fuel were directly evaluated by the nanoindentation.     

Dependence of control rod worth on fuel burnup

One important parameter in the design and the analysis of a nuclear reactor core is the reactivity worth of the control rods, i.e. their efficiency to absorb excess reactivity. The control rod worth is affected by parameters such as the fuel burnup in the rod vicinity, the Xe concentration in the core, the operational time of the rod and its position in the core. In the present work, two different computational approaches, a deterministic and a stochastic one, were used for the determination of the rods worth dependence on the fuel burnup level and the Xe concentration level in a conceptual, symmetric reactor core, based on the MTR fuel assemblies used in the Greek Research Reactor (GRR-1). For the deterministic approach the neutronics code system composed by the SCALE modules NITAWL and XSDRN and the diffusion code CITATION was used, while for the stochastic one the Monte Carlo code TRIPOLI was applied. The study showed that when Xe is present in the core, the rods worth is significantly reduced, while the rod worth variation with increasing burnup depends on the rods position in the core grid. The rod worth obtained with the use of the Monte Carlo code is higher than the one obtained from the deterministic code.     

VVER nuclear fuel burnup with different absorbers

A computational study is performed of the fuel burnup in VVER-1000 using different absorbers in open and closed fuel cycles. It is shown that mixtures of plutonium isotopes (energy and others) can give the same effect as gadolinium, which is currently used. Fuel burnup increases. When neptunium, americium, and curium isotopes are used as a consumable absorber in a closed fuel cycle, the accompanying effect is elimination of long-lived α-emitting radionuclides which have accumulated in long-term repositories.     

Criticality of the thorium burnup in equilibrium state

The effective neutron multiplication factor (k_eff) as a function of burnup for different volume coolant (CoR) and fuel (FR) to cell ratio is presented. Additionally the Conversion Ratio (CR) of Th-232 to U-233, concentration of U-233, fissile and fission products calculation as a function of burnup are presented. The assembly is a critical reactor which makes volumes of coolant and fuel changes possible. In addition, an analytical model of calculation of k_eff as a function of U-233 and a poison concentration in equilibrium state are presented. One can achieve the criticality of Thorium Breeder Reactor (TBR) for enough high average neutron energy which one can obtain in Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) only. The maximal value of CR and burnup for case of k_eff ≥ 1 achieves 1.4 and 360 GWd/MTU, correspondently. The calculations were done with a MCNPX 2.7 code using F₂Be, Na and Pb coolants.     

Magnetic gamma spectrometer determination of fuel element burnup

The article proposes the use of a magnetic Compton spectrometer to determine fuel element burnup nondestructively. Burnup is determined from the intensity of the fission product gamma lines. One of the gamma lines useful for this purpose is the Nd¹⁴⁴ line, E = 2.19 MeV, whose rate of intensity decay as determined by the half-life of Ce¹⁴⁴ is 284 days.The authors welcome this opportunity to express their heartfelt gratitude to P. I. Saukov and to Yu. F. Chernilin and the staff serving the IRT reactor for their kind and invaluable assistance in performance of this work.     

Validation of 134Cs, 137Cs and 154Eu single ratios as burnup monitors for ultra-high burnup UO2 fuel

A measurement station has been built for the non-destructive investigation of burnt fuel rod segments through high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Four UO₂ pressurised water reactor fuel rod segments with different burnup levels between 50 and >100 GWd/t and ⩽10 year cooling time have been experimentally characterised using gamma-ray spectrometry to determine ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs and ¹⁵⁴Eu and their corresponding concentration ratios. Experimental errors of ∼2% (1σ) for the ¹³⁴Cs/¹³⁷Cs ratio were obtained for most of the segments. In parallel, pin cell depletion calculations have been performed for each segment using the deterministic code CASMO-4. Measured and calculated ratios have then been compared with the purpose of deriving and validating pin-averaged single-ratio burnup indicators for very high burnups. It is shown that the ¹³⁴Cs/¹³⁷Cs ratio, frequently used as a burnup monitor, is considerably less precise for values exceeding 50 GWd/t; discrepancies of ∼16% are found between measured and calculated values, increasing with burnup up to ∼23%. The ratios built with the ¹⁵⁴Eu concentration show even much larger discrepancies, essentially because this isotope is rather poorly predicted as revealed by just using different basic cross section data.     

Substep methods for burnup calculations with Bateman solutions

When material changes in burnup calculations are solved by evaluating an explicit solution to the Bateman equations with constant microscopic reaction rates, one has to first predict the development of the reaction rates during the step and then further approximate these predictions with their averages in the depletion calculation. Representing the continuously changing reaction rates with their averages results in some error regardless of how accurately their development was predicted. Since neutronics solutions tend to be computationally expensive, steps in typical calculations are long and the resulting discretization errors significant.In this paper we present a simple solution to reducing these errors: the depletion steps are divided to substeps that are solved sequentially, allowing finer discretization of the reaction rates without additional neutronics solutions. This greatly reduces the discretization errors and, at least when combined with Monte Carlo neutronics, causes only minor slowdown as neutronics dominates the total running time.