Evaluation of alternative halide coolants for lead-cooled Generation IV fast reactors via TALYS simulations
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Ercan Yıldız
Abstract
The lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR), one of the prominent concepts among Generation IV nuclear reactors, operates with a fast neutron spectrum and utilizes molten lead or lead-bismuth eutectic as coolant. Research on Generation IV reactors has recently gained significant momentum due to the increasing need for clean and sustainable energy sources to mitigate the environmental impact of fossil fuels. In this study, alternative coolant candidates for future nuclear reactors have been explored, including mercury, iron, thallium, tin, aluminum, and ferrite. The radiative capture cross-sections [(n, γ) reactions] of selected materials – namely Pb, Hg, Fe, and Sn – were calculated using the TALYS 1.95 nuclear reaction code. Certain materials were evaluated both in their elemental forms and as halide compounds or eutectic alloys. The neutron-induced gamma production (radiative capture) cross-sections were analyzed and compared to assess the viability of these substances as potential coolants. This comparative analysis aims to identify promising candidates that could offer improved neutron economy, thermal properties, and structural compatibility for next-generation fast reactor designs.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: E. Yildiz, write the manuscript text and used the simulation codes to obtain presented results. All the authors reviewed the manuscript.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
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Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest in this work.
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Research funding: No financial support was received.
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Data availability: All of the data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this article. In case, they can also be made available by the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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