A neutronics feasibility study on utilization of a thinned cladding fuel design at Loviisa NPP
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T. Lahtinen
Abstract
Recently, an initiative has been made to improve the fuel economy of VVER-440 reactors by implementing a modification on the geometry of the current fuel assembly design. The proposed modification involves reduction of the fuel rod outer diameter from 0.91 cm to 0.89 cm by using 0.01 cm thinner cladding tubes than earlier. The design improvement would shift the neutronics of an under-moderated system slightly towards optimum moderation and, therefore, increase the reactivity of the assembly. In this paper, a neutronics feasibility study on utilization of the proposed new fuel design at Loviisa NPP is carried out. The study involves a comprehensive comparison of two individual equilibrium fuel cycles: one applying current TVEL 2nd generation fuel design and another one where the new fuel design is used. In addition to equilibrium cycle characteristics, also cycle economics as well as back-end effects are considered. The study concludes that the proposed fuel design modification enables to improve the fuel economy of Loviisa NPP.
Kurzfassung
Vor kurzem wurde eine Initiative zur Verbesserung des Brennstoffverbrauchs von VVER-440-Reaktoren eine Änderung der Geometrie des aktuellen Brennelementdesigns gestartet. Die vorgeschlagene Modifikation beinhaltet die Reduzierung des Brennstabaußendurchmessers von 0,91 cm auf 0,89 cm durch Verwendung von 0,01 cm dünneren Hüllrohren als bisher. Die Designverbesserung würde die Neutronik eines untermoderierten Systems leicht in Richtung optimaler Moderation verschieben und damit die Reaktivität der Baugruppe erhöhen. In diesem Beitrag wird eine Machbarkeitsstudie zur Nutzung des vorgeschlagenen neuen Brennstoffdesigns im Kernkraftwerk Loviisa durchgeführt. Die Studie beinhaltet einen umfassenden Vergleich zweier individueller Gleichgewichts-Brennstoffkreisläufe: eines mit dem aktuellen TVEL-Design der zweiten Generation und eines mit dem neuen Design. Neben den Gleichgewichtszykluseigenschaften werden auch die Zyklusökonomie sowie Backend-Effekte berücksichtigt. Die Studie kommt zu dem Schluss, dass die vorgeschlagene Designänderung eine Verbesserung des Brennstoffverbrauchs des Kernkraftwerks Loviisa ermöglicht.
References
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© 2018, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Editorial
- Research on the reactor physics and reactor safety of VVER reactors – AER Symposium 2017
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- SIMULATE5-HEX extension for VVER analyses
- Application of discontinuity factors and group constants generated by SERPENT in the KIKO3 DMG code
- “Full-Core” VVER-440 extended calculation benchmark
- Calculation of “full core” VVER-1000 benchmark
- Study of neutron-physical characteristics of VVER-1200 considering feedbacks using MCU Monte Carlo code
- Advantages of VVER-440 fuel cycles with new fuel assemblies
- A neutronics feasibility study on utilization of a thinned cladding fuel design at Loviisa NPP
- Investigation of fuel cycles containing Generation IV reactors and VVER-1200 reactors
- Calculations of spent fuel isotopic composition for fuel rod from VVER-440 fuel assembly benchmark using several evaluated nuclear data libraries
- Simulation of standard temperature control indications at the outlet of a fuel assembly of VVER1000 reactor of Rostov NPP unit No. 2
- Power transient calculations with VERONA
- Physical startup tests calculations for Dukovany NPP using MOBY-DICK macrocode
- Renewing the refueling neutron monitoring and reactivity measurement systems at Paks NPP
- Hot channel calculation methodologies in case of VVER-1000/1200 reactors
- Contribution to the validation of the VVER-1000 Temelin NPP computing model for the ATHLET/DYN3D coupled codes
- Simulation of a hypothetical MSLB core transient in VVER-1000 with several stuck rods
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Editorial
- Research on the reactor physics and reactor safety of VVER reactors – AER Symposium 2017
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- SIMULATE5-HEX extension for VVER analyses
- Application of discontinuity factors and group constants generated by SERPENT in the KIKO3 DMG code
- “Full-Core” VVER-440 extended calculation benchmark
- Calculation of “full core” VVER-1000 benchmark
- Study of neutron-physical characteristics of VVER-1200 considering feedbacks using MCU Monte Carlo code
- Advantages of VVER-440 fuel cycles with new fuel assemblies
- A neutronics feasibility study on utilization of a thinned cladding fuel design at Loviisa NPP
- Investigation of fuel cycles containing Generation IV reactors and VVER-1200 reactors
- Calculations of spent fuel isotopic composition for fuel rod from VVER-440 fuel assembly benchmark using several evaluated nuclear data libraries
- Simulation of standard temperature control indications at the outlet of a fuel assembly of VVER1000 reactor of Rostov NPP unit No. 2
- Power transient calculations with VERONA
- Physical startup tests calculations for Dukovany NPP using MOBY-DICK macrocode
- Renewing the refueling neutron monitoring and reactivity measurement systems at Paks NPP
- Hot channel calculation methodologies in case of VVER-1000/1200 reactors
- Contribution to the validation of the VVER-1000 Temelin NPP computing model for the ATHLET/DYN3D coupled codes
- Simulation of a hypothetical MSLB core transient in VVER-1000 with several stuck rods
