Development of a Criticality Evaluation Method Considering the Particulate Behavior of Nuclear Fuel

In conventional criticality evaluations of nuclear powder systems, effects of particulate behavior were not considered. In other words, it is difficult to take into account the particle motion in the criticality evaluations. We have developed a novel criticality evaluation code to resolve this probl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nuclear technology 2005-02, Vol.149 (2), p.141-149
Main Authors: Sakai, Mikio, Yamamoto, Toshihiro, Murazaki, Minoru, Miyoshi, Yoshinori
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRITICALITY
DEFORMATION
Energy
Energy. Thermal use of fuels
EVALUATION
Exact sciences and technology
Fission nuclear power plants
Fuels
Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
MIXING
MIXTURES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
Nuclear fuels
OXIDES
POWDERS
Preparation and processing of nuclear fuels
SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
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Summary:In conventional criticality evaluations of nuclear powder systems, effects of particulate behavior were not considered. In other words, it is difficult to take into account the particle motion in the criticality evaluations. We have developed a novel criticality evaluation code to resolve this problem. The criticality evaluation code, coupling a discrete element method simulation code with a continuous-energy Monte Carlo transport code, makes it possible to study the effects of the particulate dynamics on criticality. This criticality evaluation code is applied to the mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel powder agitation process. The criticality evaluations are performed while mixing the MOX fuel powder and an additive powder in a stirred vessel to investigate the effects of the powder free surface deformation and the particulate mixture state on the effective multiplication factor. The evaluation results reveal that the effective multiplication factor decreases due to the powder boundary deformation while it increases as the mixture condition of MOX powder and Zn-St powder is close to homogeneous.
ISSN:0029-5450
1943-7471
DOI:10.13182/NT05-A3586