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.