2024 - Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit
SIPS 2024 Volume 8. Monteiro Intl. Symp / Composite, Ceramic and Nano Materials Processing
| Editors: | F. Kongoli, P. Assis, H.A.C. Lopera, S. Diaz, V. Scarpini Candido |
| Publisher: | Flogen Star OUTREACH |
| Publication Year: | 2024 |
| Pages: | 288 pages |
| ISBN: | 978-1-998384-18-1 (CD) |
| ISSN: | 2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series) |
CD shopping page
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CRITICALITY OF A HYPOTHETICAL REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT WITH SIC-DOPED ZIRCALOY-4 RODS
Ary Machado de Azevedo1; Thomaz Jacintho Lopes2; Marcos Paulo Cavaliere de Medeiros1; Fernando Manuel Araújo Moreira1; Sergio Monteiro1; André Ben-Hur da Silva Figueiredo1;1MILITARY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 2MILITARY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING, Duque de Caxias, Brazil;
Type of Paper: Regular
Id Paper: 217
Topic: 18
Abstract:
As energy demand rises, the drive for materials research in the nuclear industry intensifies [1],[2]. Consequently, discussions center on novel materials aimed at enhancing efficiency within the nuclear domain. Presently, ongoing studies focus on the utilization of SiC in nuclear power plants, owing to its proven efficacy in averting hydrogen gas emissions during LOCA-type accidents [3][4]. A concern in reactor operations is comprehending the behavior of fuel rods during the fission process of UO2 pellets [5],[6], and the ensuing heat exchange mechanisms. To unravel these key characteristics, a study scrutinized the criticality of a fuel rod sheathed in Zircaloy doped with SiC nanoparticles [7],[8], employing simulation via the MCNP code. Simulations of the fuel element encompassed an enrichment distribution of 3.2%, 2.5%, and 1.9% of UO2 based on a hypothetical PWR reactor model. Utilizing the MCNP5 software, a hypothetical fuel assembly for a PWR reactor was modeled with 25 fuel rods housing UO2 pellets across three enrichment zones (3.2%, 2.5%, and 1.9%) and standing 3.6 meters tall. The simulation employed the kcode method to compute the criticality of the simulated fuel, with 10,000 neutrons per cycle over a total of 100 cycles, half of which were passive. To fulfill the study's objective, the initial simulation employed pure Zircaloy-4 as a reference standard for fuel element criticality, with a subsequent simulation incorporating this alloy doped with 10% SiC. The resultant effective multiplication factor (keff) for the coated rod was calculated as keff = 1.39132 ± 0.00064, compared to the reference value of keff = 1.39207 ± 0.00072, yielding a relative percentage deviation of approximately |δ| ≈ 0.054%. Notably, doping Zircaloy with SiC nanoparticles demonstrated no significant alteration in neutron production, facilitating alloy enhancement without compromising energy production efficiency. The simulation results suggest that the addition of SiC nanoparticles can enhance the properties of Zircaloy alloy without sacrificing energy production efficiency. The minor relative deviation between the keff values for doped and undoped rods indicates insignificant impact on fuel rod criticality. Overall, this study underscores the promise of SiC nanoparticle doping in improving alloy properties, necessitating further research to validate these findings and explore potential benefits in greater detail.