Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Computational Analysis of Burnup and Actinides Accumulation in a Reactor with a Controlled Neutron Spectrum

6/05/2024 2024 - #02 Modelling processes at nuclear facilities

Egorov G.O. Levchenko Y.V. Manturov G.N. Matveev Y.V.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2024.2.14

UDC: 621.039.51.17; 621.039.5

The paper presents results of calculations of actinide accumulation and transmutation in fuel during operation of a thermal reactor with an oxide uranium-plutonium MOX fuel. The aim is to investigate the uncertainty in calculations of fuel burnup and minor actinide accumulation using different software packages based on a common base of nuclear constants. The research was carried out on the example of burnup calculations of a fuel element model of one of the innovative neutron spectrum controlled reactor with MOX fuel.

The calculations were carried out by using MCNP5 and WIMS-D5 software packages. The obtained results were analyzed and compared with each other. The calculations utilized different nuclear data libraries based on ENDF/B-VII.1 ROSFOND-2020.2. For MCNP5 calculations, the data was presented in an ACE format, whilst for WIMS-D5 calculations the data files were presented in different energy breakdowns in 69 and 172 groups. The calculations of fuel burn-up and minor actinide accumulation by MCNP5 were carried out using two isotopic kinetics modules ORIGEN2 and CINDER90. For these calculations, various nuclear data based on ENDF/B- VII.1 and ROSFOND-2020.2 was used. The performed MCNP5 calculations with ORIGEN2 and CINDER90 modules have shown to be consistent. Compared to MCNP5, the WIMS-D5 program shows that the calculations in 172 groups are more reliable. It’s worth noting that for isotopes 237Np, 238Pu and 243Am there is a sufficiently large uncertainty in determining of their concentrations.

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calculations MOX fuel burn-up actinoids software packages WIMS-D5 MCNP5 ORIGEN2 CINDER90 ENDF/B-VI1 ROSFOND

Link for citing the article: Egorov G.O., Levchenko Y.V., Manturov G.N., Matveev Y.V. Computational Analysis of Burnup and Actinides Accumulation in a Reactor with a Controlled Neutron Spectrum. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2024, no. 2, pp. 170-184; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2024.2.14 (in Russian).

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