大型MOX燃料快堆钠空泡反应性微扰理论研究

钠空泡反应性效应是钠冷快堆核设计和安全分析的重要内容。本文基于多群节块扩散法,采用微扰理论推导出钠空泡反应性的计算方法,对1 000 MWe钠冷快堆MOX燃料堆芯的总钠空泡反应性、空间分布、物理分项进行了计算。结果表明,钠空泡反应性主要来源于中子泄漏的增加和能谱的硬化,两者一正一负,且空间分布规律相反,导致钠空泡反应性具有强烈的空间依赖性;对于所计算的MOX燃料堆芯钠空泡反应性高达3$左右。计算和分析结果阐明了钠空泡反应性的产生机理和分布规律,可为低钠空泡的设计提供参考。     

可增殖快谱超临界水冷堆物理初步设计计算

建立改进型快谱超临界水冷堆(SCFR-M)堆芯模型,探讨点火区燃料棒直径和增殖区水棒直径对堆芯转换比的影响,得到合理的燃料组件设计形式。设计并计算6种不同堆芯布置的反应堆增殖特性和空泡反应性,并分析燃料中235U和239Pu成分对堆芯转换比和空泡系数的影响,提高了转换比;研究燃料成分对堆芯转换比的影响。结果表明:减小氢原子数与重金属原子数之比(H/HM),增加堆芯增殖燃料组件数目并采用合理布置可满足堆芯负空泡反应系数,且可以提高堆芯转换比;降低燃料中Pu同位素质量分数可以使堆芯转换比大幅增加,同时使堆芯的空泡反应性系数负值更大;当点火燃料组件采用Pu同位素质量分数为20.8%的MOX燃料,增殖燃料组件采用0.2%富集度235U的贫铀燃料,6号设计方案可以使堆芯的初始转换比达到1.03128,且空泡反应性系数为负,初步达到超临界水冷快堆的增殖要求。进一步对堆芯的缓发中子有效份额、能谱、中子注量率、功率分布进行计算,分析研究增殖堆芯的物理特性。     

改进Flower型超临界水冷快堆初步增殖研究

超临界水冷快堆集快堆和轻水堆两种特性。整个堆芯冷却剂流量仅为现BWR的1/8,中子能谱硬于普通PWR,故有一定的核燃料增殖能力。本文建立不同Flower型超临界水冷快堆堆芯物理模型,研究堆芯分区布置、冷却剂密度分层、seed及blanket组件P/D值设计、MOX燃料设计、燃料富集度分区分层布置、blanket内部通道采用贫铀冷却等方案,分析堆芯的空泡反应性、功率分布及增殖比。通过比较,得到了超临界水冷快堆的优化设计方案。     

基于凤凰快堆寿期末控制棒提棒实验的SARAX程序系统确认

寿期末控制棒提棒实验是在法国钠冷快堆Phenix(凤凰快堆)退役之前开展的最后一次实堆测量实验,实验中测量了低功率状态下的控制棒价值和满功率状态下的径向功率分布。本实验采用西安交通大学开发的快堆中子学计算程序系统SARAX进行建模和计算,其计算过程采用基于点截面的超细群方法进行能谱计算,采用超级均匀化(SPH)因子方法进行组件均匀化计算,以及采用多群中子输运节块方法进行堆芯计算,最终计算了实验中4个临界状态的有效增殖因子、控制棒价值、堆芯反应性系数及功率分布等参数。计算结果表明:SARAX的计算结果与实验值吻合较好,计算精度优于传统的快堆物理计算程序,可以用于钠冷氧化物混合燃料(MOX燃料)快堆的核设计。     

俄BN-800钠冷快堆将使用全堆芯MOX燃料运行

正【英国《国际核工程》网站2016年3月14日报道】俄罗斯国家原子能集团公司(Rosatom)近期宣布,别洛雅尔斯克4号机组即首台BN-800钠冷快堆机组到2019年将使用全堆芯混合氧化物(MOX)燃料运行。该机组目前使用由氧化铀燃料和MOX燃料组成的混合堆芯运行,其中MOX燃料的比例约为20%。该机组2015年12月实现首次并网发电,将在2016年底前投入商业运行。MOX燃料此前已在别洛雅尔斯克3号机组即BN-600钠冷快堆机组中接受测试。别洛雅尔斯克核电厂表示:"约100个此类组件以     

俄BN-800快堆首次装入批量制造的MOX燃料

正【世界核新闻网站2020年1月28日报道】在装填了首批批量制造的混合氧化物(MOX)燃料后,俄罗斯别洛雅尔斯克4号机组已重新投入运行。到2021年年底,这台BN-800钠冷快堆机组的整个堆芯都将换装MOX燃料。在最初投运时,这台机组装填了由铀燃料和MOX燃料组成的混合堆芯。其中MOX燃料组件由位于季米特洛夫格勒(Dimitrovgrad)的核反应堆研究所(RIAR)制造。     

MA以IMF燃料靶组件形式在大型钠冷快堆中的非均匀嬗变研究

针对次量锕系核素(MA)的嬗变问题,以中国示范快堆(CDFR)为基本堆芯,研究了MA以靶组件形式在大型钠冷快堆中非均匀嬗变的问题。为增加嬗变的效果,靶组件的燃料选择了不含铀的惰性基体燃料(IMF)。结果表明:少量IMF燃料靶组件的插入对堆芯会产生一定的影响,主要是钠空泡反应性正反馈增强较明显,同时与MA均匀嬗变不同的是堆芯功率峰因子有所增加,其他参数影响相对较小;IMF燃料靶组件中MA的嬗变效果较好,尤其是MA焚毁效率比燃料均匀添加MA时增加了约1/3,IMF燃料中由MA转变的238Pu的次级裂变对MA的焚毁贡献显著增加。在大型钠冷快堆中使用含MA靶组件进行非均匀嬗变时,需要合理选择靶组件的数量和布置位置,以便实现在MA高效嬗变的同时对堆芯性能不会产生非常显著的影响。     

钠冷氧化物燃料快堆嬗变MA研究

研究了次量锕系核素(MA)在钠冷氧化物燃料快堆中嬗变的基本物理特性。结果表明,MA核素加入堆芯燃料中后对堆芯动态参数和反应性反馈会产生显著的影响,如:βeff会有所减小、多普勒负反馈会显著减弱以及钠空泡反应性正反馈会显著增强。添加MA所带来的收益是燃耗反应性损失减小,且一定量的MA被嬗变掉,同时MA裂变也有相应的能量产出。MA嬗变的本质在于MA的焚毁,MA的焚毁比消耗与其所占全堆的裂变份额(包括由其转换的238Pu的裂变)成正比,为此相同MA裂变份额下的堆芯安全参数成为MA嬗变快堆设计的关键点。研究表明,堆芯小型化能够有效地减小堆芯的钠空泡反应性正反馈,同时对MA的焚毁比消耗影响较小。     

一体化快堆的内增殖性能研究

为达到高燃耗、低后处理量、长换料周期，一体化快堆以高内增殖为设计方向。本文研究了棒径和P/D(栅距与棒径之比)两个主要堆芯设计参数与内增殖间的关系，研究了降低钠空泡反应性的措施对内增殖的影响。结果表明，棒径的增加和P/D的降低能够显著提高内增殖，为了降低钠空泡效应而增加上钠腔并降低堆芯高径比会造成内增殖的损失。棒径与P/D的具体取值应在物理与热工之间寻求平衡，而对钠空泡反应性应从反应堆整体安全设计上缓解，一体化快堆的设计应以内增殖性能和高效的闭式燃料循环为主要目标。     

基于CFD的钠冷快堆子通道绕丝搅浑系数选取

钠冷快堆能够提高铀资源的利用率,减少核废料的产生,是非常有前景的第四代核能系统堆型之一。同时,钠冷快堆也因其使用金属绕丝对燃料棒进行固定,具有更复杂的堆内构造,探究钠冷快堆堆芯内因绕丝而引起的搅浑效应对钠冷快堆的堆芯设计及安全分析具有重要意义。本文针对钠冷快堆的堆芯设计,采用CFD软件建立带绕丝的7根燃料棒束模型,针对大流量工况（工况1）、中流量工况（工况2）进行工况计算,根据流场的雷诺应力获得绕丝的湍流搅浑系数。并基于自主研发的子通道计算程序SAC-SUB建立相同的几何模型,将湍流搅浑系数输入子通道计算程序中,获得内通道、边通道、角通道温度分布,并将两种软件的计算结果进行了对比。对比结果表明,对于不同的通道而言,两种计算软件内通道的温度偏差最小（2.5℃）,角通道的温度偏差最大（13.2℃）。对于不同的流量而言,中流量工况（工况2）温度偏差更小,最小温差只有0.8℃。该工作为后续快堆子通道分析搅浑系数的选取提供了技术基础。     

TRU burning by dual tier system of LWR-SFR

This paper presents a concept of the dual tier system consisting of the existing light water reactor (LWR) plants and sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) for transuranics (TRU) burning for the purpose of downsizing the required SFR. In this system, Pu is combusted by the LWR at first and then the remaining Np, Am, and Pu are destructed by the SFR. The iteration number of Pu combustion by the LWR is chosen to be twice owing to the sodium void reactivity limitation of $6. As a result of combustion calculation, the twice Pu burning of LWR lessens the TRU amount by 27% and changes the composition significantly. Moderator pins of zirconium hydride are deployed to the SFR fuel subassembly so as to enhance TRU burning and reduce the sodium void reactivity. The nuclear calculation found that the core characteristics become similar to the conventional SFR due to the moderator: the sodium void reactivity remains still $4 and the Doppler coefficient becomes −6 × 10⁻³ Tdk/dT. This study concludes that this dual tier strategy can downsize the required SFR to approximately 40% of the single tier system of SFR with TRU conversion ratio of 0.6.     

Characterization of a sodium-cooled fast reactor in an MHR–SFR synergy for TRU transmutation

In the task of destroying the light water reactor (LWR) transuranics (TRUs), we consider the concept of a synergistic combination of a deep-burn (DB) gas-cooled reactor followed by a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), as an alternative way to the direct feeding of the LWR TRUs to the SFR. In the synergy concept, TRUs from LWR are first deeply incinerated in a graphite-moderated DB-MHR (modular helium reactor) and then the spent fuels of DB-MHR are recycled into the closed-cycle SFR. The DB-MHR core is 100% TRU-loaded and a deep-burning (50–65%) is achieved in a safe manner (as discussed in our previous work). In this analysis, the SFR fuel cycle is closed with a pyro-processing technology to minimize the waste stream to a final repository. Neutronic characteristics of the SFR core in the MHR–SFR synergy have been evaluated from the core physics point of view. Also, we have compared core characteristics of the synergy SFR with those of a stand-alone SFR transuranic burner. For a consistent comparison, the two SFRs are designed to have the same TRU consumption rate of ∼250 kg/GW EFPY that corresponds to the TRU discharge rate from three 600 MW DB-MHRs. The results of our work show that the synergy SFR, fed with TRUs from DB-MHR, has a much smaller burnup reactivity swing, a slightly greater delayed neutron fraction (both positive features) but also a higher sodium void worth and a less negative Doppler coefficients than the conventional SFR, fed with TRUs directly from the LWRs. In addition, several design measures have been considered to reduce the sodium void worth in the synergy SFR core.     

Development of natural circulation analysis methods for a sodium cooled fast reactor

A natural circulation evaluation methodology has been developed to insure safety of a sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) of 1500 MWe adopting a natural circulation decay heat removal system (NC-DHRS). The methodology consists of a one-dimensional safety analysis which can be applied to safety evaluation for SFR licensing taking into account the temperature flattening effect due to buoyancy force in the core, and a three-dimensional fluid flow analysis which can evaluate thermal-hydraulics for local convection and thermal stratification in the primary system and DHRSs. The one-dimensional safety analysis method and the three-dimensional fluid flow analysis method have been validated using the test results of a water test apparatus and a sodium test loop for some typical transient events selected from the design basis events of the SFR. Finally, it has been confirmed that a good agreement between the test results and analysis results has been obtained, and reliability of each method has been demonstrated.     

A study on improvement of sodium cooled TRU burner design using burnable poison

A new design approach to improve safety characteristics of sodium cooled core for transuranic element transmutation is discussed. In the new option, some amount of fertile material is removed for reduction of sodium void reactivity. Simultaneously, a burnable absorber material is loaded in replacement of fertile material to compensate for reactivity drop during the fuel depletion. Two methods of burnable absorber loading are considered such as the homogeneous and the heterogeneous. In the results, it is found that the homogeneous loading cannot reduce the sodium void reactivity but makes the reactivity more positive. On the other hand, the heterogeneous loading can reduce the sodium void reactivity successfully. It is also found that the increment in burnup reactivity swing is negligible when the burnable poison is heterogeneously loaded. It is concluded that if the burnable poison material is loaded appropriately, the sodium void reactivity can be reduced without any significant penalty of increase in burnup reactivity swing.     

Gas entrainment allowance level at free surface and gas dynamic behavior of sodium-cooled fast reactor

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), inert gases exist in the primary coolant system either in a state of dissolved gas or free gas bubbles. The sources of the gas bubbles are entrainment and dissolution of the reactor cover gas (argon) at the vessel free surface and emission of the helium gas that is produced as a result of disintegration of B₄C control rod material. The gas in the primary system may cause disturbance in reactivity, nucleation site for boiling, etc. Therefore, it is a key issue from the design and safety viewpoint and the allowance level is necessary regarding the gas entrainment at the free surface and the gas bubble concentration in the primary system. In the present study, a gas entrainment allowance level at the free surface is discussed and rationalized for the Japanese SFR (JSFR) design. The influence of the gas entrainment is evaluated using the void fraction at the core inlet. Design criteria for the acceptable level of the gas entrainment and gas concentration are proposed in consideration of the background level of gasses in the coolant. For the purpose, a plant dynamics code VIBUL has been developed to apply to the JSFR design to evaluate the concentration distribution of the dissolved gas and the free gas bubble in the JSFR system. Using the plant dynamics code for the bubble behavior, the background level of the free gas (void fraction at the core inlet) has been obtained. Assuming that the total void fraction should be kept below 105% of the background level, a preliminary design allowance level of gas entrainment is proposed as the map in terms of the entrainment rate and the entrained bubble radius. Furthermore, the possibility of bubble removal and design requirement of the device is investigated to satisfy the allowance level. It is noted that the background level is already very low in comparison with the induced void reactivity by the void passing the reactor core.     

Void reactivity decomposition for the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor in equilibrium fuel cycle

The Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) is one of the most promising Generation IV systems with many advantages, but has one dominating neutronic drawback – a positive sodium void reactivity. The aim of this study is to develop and apply a methodology, which should help better understand the causes and consequences of the sodium void effect. It focuses not only on the beginning-of-life (BOL) state of the core, but also on the beginning of open and closed equilibrium (BOC and BEC, respectively) fuel cycle conditions. The deeper understanding of the principal phenomena involved may subsequently lead to appropriate optimization studies.     

Analysis of Sodium Void Reactivity Measured in FCA V-1 Assembly

The analysis of sodium void reactivity measurements has been performed. The measurements were made in the FCA V-1, which is a fast critical assembly intended for physics mock-up of the experimental fast reactor “JOYO”. The voided zones were the central region of the core and channel drawers extending throughout the core height. The calculations were performed using the JAERI set with 70- group structure.

As a result it was found that the conventional two-dimensional calculations underestimate measurements by about 10–40% in the core region. However, if the axial streaming effects are considered, the ratio between calculations and experimental results become about 0.9 for almost all cases of channel void. The streaming effects are calculated with use of Benoist's formula of anisotropic diffusion coefficients.

The heterogeneity effects on the spatial neutron flux distribution are taken into consideration by the collision probability method. The effect is large in the central part of the core (about 20% negative reactivity). The elastic removal cross sections are precisely obtained for the predominant resonances of light elements and compared with the conventional set. The influence on sodium void reactivity is not so large in this assembly.     

Sodium Void Reactivity Worth Calculations for Fast Critical Assemblies without Whole-Lattice Homogenization

In the present paper, we calculate the sodium void reactivity worth of fast critical assemblies without whole-lattice homogenization in order to reduce errors associated with lattice homogenization. Firstly, we solve a neutron transport benchmark problem simulating fast critical assemblies composed of thin material plates with a discrete ordinates transport solver. The discrete ordinates transport solutions agree well with the Monte Carlo reference solutions; hence, we confirm the validity of the deterministic transport calculations for the sodium void reactivity worth of lattice-heterogeneous critical assemblies. Thereafter, the existing experimental data are calculated without whole-lattice homogenization. The result suggests that the lattice homogenization results in the overestimation of the leakage component of sodium void reactivity worth when the leakage component parallel to plate boundaries is dominant. Utilizing the numerical method without whole-lattice homogenization and the nuclear data JENDL-3.3, numerical solutions agree with the experimental data within 3σ of the experimental uncertainties.     

Cross-comparison of fast reactor concepts with various coolants

Four fast reactor concepts using lead (LFR), liquid salt, NaCl-KCl-MgCl₂ (LSFR), sodium (SFR), and supercritical CO₂ (GFR) coolants are compared. Since economy of scale and power conversion system compactness are the same by virtue of the consistent 2400 MWt rating and use of the S-CO₂ power conversion system, the achievable plant thermal efficiency, core power density and core specific powers become the dominant factors. The potential to achieve the highest efficiency among the four reactor concepts can be ranked from highest to lowest as follows: (1) GFR, (2) LFR and LSFR, and (3) SFR. Both the lead- and salt-cooled designs achieve about 30% higher power density than the gas-cooled reactor, but attain power density 3 times smaller than that of the sodium-cooled reactor. Fuel cycle costs are favored for the sodium reactor by virtue of its high specific power of 65 kW/kgHM compared to the lead, salt and gas reactor values of 45, 35, and 21 kW/kgHM, respectively. In terms of safety, all concepts can be designed to accommodate the unprotected limiting accidents through passive means in a self-controllable manner. However, it does not seem to be a preferable option for the GFR where the active or semi-passive approach will likely result in a more economic and reliable plant. Lead coolant with its superior neutronic characteristics and the smallest coolant temperature reactivity coefficient is easiest to design for self-controllability, while the LSFR requires special reactivity devices to overcome its large positive coolant temperature coefficient. The GFR required a special core design using BeO diluent and a supercritical CO₂ reflector to achieve negative coolant void worth—one of the conditions necessary for inherent shutdown following large LOCA. Protected accidents need to be given special attention in the LSFR and LFR due to the small margin to freezing of their coolants, and to a lesser extent in the SFR.     

Development of an evaluation methodology for the natural circulation decay heat removal system in a sodium cooled fast reactor

A natural circulation evaluation methodology has been developed to ensure the safety of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) of 1500 MW adopting the natural circulation decay heat removal system (NC-DHRS). The methodology consists of a one-dimensional safety analysis which can evaluate the core hot spot temperature taking into account the temperature flattening effect in the core, a three-dimensional fluid flow analysis which can evaluate the thermal-hydraulics for local convections and thermal stratifications in the primary system and DHRS, and a statistical safety evaluation method for the hot spot temperature in the core. The safety analysis method and the three-dimensional analysis method have been validated using results of a 1/10 scaled water test simulating the primary system of the SFR and a sodium test simulating a part of the primary system and the DHRS with about a 1/7 scale, and the applicability of the safety analysis for the SFR has been confirmed by comparing with the three-dimensional analysis adopting the turbulence model. Finally, a statistical safety evaluation has been performed for the SFR using the safety analysis method.