Radiation Physics and Engineering
A peer-reviewed journal published by K. N. Toosi University of Technology

Neutronic analysis of different patterns of ABV reactor core using low enrichment UO2 fuel

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Javad Karimi 1
Mohsen Shayesteh 1
Mehdi Zangian 2

1 Physics Department, Imam Hossein Comprehensive University, Tehran, Iran

2 Engineering Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/rpe.2021.286704.1030
Abstract
Today, small modular reactors have received considerable attention in various countries. The ABV reactor is a PWR small modular reactor that has various applications. This reactor has been used silumin metal fuel with a 16.5% enrichment. In the present work, the efficiency of the conventional UO2 fuel with enrichment of less than 10% to be used as the main fuel of ABV reactor has been investigated, and four different patterns for the reactor core have been proposed. To perform the calculations, the ABV reactor is modeled using the PARCS neutronic code and the RELAP5 thermohydraulic code. Finally, using computational codes for the proposed patterns of the reactor core, various quantities including reactor cycle length, reactivity, burnup, power distribution, fuel, coolant temperature distribution, and feedback coefficients have been calculated.

Highlights

• The criticality calculation of the ABV, a PWR small modular reactor, using low enrichment fuel is investigated.
• The neutronic parameters for the ABV reactor are calculated using low enrichment fuel.
• With 6% enrichment, the length of the reactor cycle and burnup are 2100 days and 31 GWd/T, respectively.

Keywords

Small modular reactor
UO2 fuel
Low enrichment
Neutronic code
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Radiation Physics and Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2
Spring 2021
Pages 37-42

  • Receive Date 17 May 2021
  • Revise Date 23 August 2021
  • Accept Date 06 September 2021

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