Evaluation of various calculational models of FA containing burnable absorber rod in the VVER-1000

Sahar Ghaseminejad; Mohammadhadi Porhemmat

doi:10.1515/kern-2025-0001

Article

Evaluation of various calculational models of FA containing burnable absorber rod in the VVER-1000

Sahar Ghaseminejad and Mohammadhadi Porhemmat

Published/Copyright: May 23, 2025

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From the journal Kerntechnik Volume 90 Issue 3

Abstract

The economic performance of a nuclear reactor is fundamentally linked to optimizing fuel efficiency, extending burn-up, and ensuring safe operational parameters. In this regard, this research explores the influence of lattice computational models on macroscopic cross-section generation for VVER-1000 Fuel Assemblies (FAs) containing Burnable Absorber Rods (BARs), focusing on their impact on neutronic parameters throughout the first operational cycle. The study addresses the spectral hardening effect of BARs, which causes distinct neutronic behaviors in fuel rods based on their proximity to the absorber. Three FA simulation arrangements are compared to assess the neutronic consequences of these proximity effects. Results highlight the increased plutonium isotope production and reduced uranium-235 consumption in fuel rods adjacent to BARs. A comparative study of key core parameters during the cycle, such as boron concentration and power peaks, is presented to demonstrate the effects of BAR modeling. The WIMD-D4 transport lattice code, with an updated library by the IAEA, and PARCS, which leverages advanced nodal kernel and CITATION finite difference codes for core calculation, are utilized in this research.

Keywords: burnable absorber rod; boron concentration; harden neutron spectrum; nodal kernel

Corresponding author: Mohammadhadi Porhemmat, Reactor and Nuclear Safety School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), P.O. Box: 143995113, Tehran, Iran, E-mail: porhemmat@gmail.com

Nomenclature

FA: Fuel Assembly
BARs: Burnable Absorber Rods
NPP: Nuclear Power Plant
HFP: Hot Full Power
PMAXS: Purdue Macroscopic XS
PARCS: Purdue Advanced Reactor Core Simulator
PPM: Parts Per Million
VVER: water-water energetic reactor
WIMS: Winfrith Improved Multigroup Scheme

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study, or their legal guardians or wards.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission. OR in the case of a single author contribution. The author has accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: None declared.
Data availability: Not applicable.

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Received: 2025-01-02

Accepted: 2025-04-22

Published Online: 2025-05-23

Published in Print: 2025-06-26

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https://doi.org/10.1515/kern-2025-0001

Keywords for this article

burnable absorber rod; boron concentration; harden neutron spectrum; nodal kernel