Computational Methods and Tools for Neutronics Calculations for Molten-Salt Nuclear Reactors

熔盐核反应堆中子学计算的计算方法和工具

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-05759
• 负责人: Nichita, Eleodor
• 金额: $ 1.97万
• 依托单位: University of Ontario Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752689
• 关键词: Computational; Methods; Tools; Neutronics; Calculations

Molten-Salt Nuclear Reactors (MSRs) are one of the six Generation-IV advanced nuclear-reactor concepts being pursued by the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). Canada is a signatory of the GIF Framework Agreement and at least one Canadian company is developing an MSR concept and is seeking licensing from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. MSRs use molten (liquid) salts of uranium and/or thorium which act as both fuel and coolant. The MSR core is not pressurized and molten salts have high boiling points, which make the release of radioactivity into the environment near-impossible; even following an accident. MSRs are promising as burners of transuranic elements from spent Light-Water-Reactor fuel (the most common type of power-reactor fuel in the world) thus having the potential to reduce the amount of waste from such reactors. They can provide high conversion/breeding ratios thus increasing the nuclear-fuel utilization.In MSRs, the liquid salt circulates continuously in and out of the core, which poses unique challenges for the neutronics simulations of such reactors by adding additional, “drift”, terms to the balance equations solved by neutronics codes. Consequently, neutronics codes in use for solid-fuel reactors are not adequate for liquid-fuel reactors, such as the MSRs. While neutronics computational methods and tools for solid-fuel reactors are mature, computational methods and tools for liquid-fuel reactors are in their infancy and constitute an active area of investigation. To date, no stand-alone neutronics computational tool for MSRs exists in Canada.The proposed research program is centered on the development of high-fidelity, reliable neutronics computational methods and tools for MSRs; tools that can properly account for fuel convection for three-dimensional static and time-dependent problems. Such methods require the coupling of neutronics and fluid-dynamics calculations. The research will focus on the neutronics methods and their coupling with fluid-dynamics computations, while the actual simulation of the fuel flow will be performed using an existing software package applicable to Computational Fluid Dynamics (e.g. OpenFOAM).The research will produce a stand-alone computational tool for researchers, engineers and regulators to use for the design and safety analysis of Generation-IV MSRs. Such a tool will make it possible to accurately and reliably analyze the neutronic characteristics of existing and emerging MSR designs. The training of five highly-qualified personnel will be supported by the research program. On a wider scale, the research will contribute to the development of MSRs, which promise CO2-free electricity production with minimal risk and radioactive waste. It will also support Canadian nuclear-technology companies involved in MSR research, placing them at the forefront of nuclear-technology development in the world.

熔盐核反应堆（MSR）是第四代国际论坛（GIF）所追求的六种第四代先进核反应堆概念之一，加拿大是 GIF 框架协议的签署国，并且至少有一家加拿大公司正在开发。 MSR 概念，正在寻求加拿大核安全委员会的许可，其使用铀和/或钍的熔融（液体）盐作为燃料和冷却剂。未加压且熔盐具有高沸点，这使得即使在事故发生后也几乎不可能将放射性物质释放到环境中；世界上动力反应堆燃料的数量），因此有可能减少此类反应堆的废物量。它们可以提供高转化/增殖比，从而提高核燃料利用率。液态盐不断地进出堆芯，这给此类反应堆的中子学模拟带来了独特的挑战，因为在中子学代码所求解的平衡方程中添加了额外的“漂移”项，用于固体中子学代码。固体燃料反应堆的中子学计算方法和工具已经成熟，但液体燃料反应堆的中子学计算方法和工具尚不成熟。迄今为止，加拿大尚不存在用于 MSR 的独立中子学计算工具。拟议的研究计划集中于开发用于 MSR 的高保真、可靠的中子学计算方法和工具；能够正确解释三维静态和时间相关问题的燃料对流的工具需要中子学和流体动力学计算的耦合。流体动力学计算，而燃料流动的实际模拟将使用适用于计算流体动力学的现有软件包（例如 OpenFOAM）进行。该研究将为研究人员、工程师和监管机构提供一个独立的计算工具，用于第四代 MSR 的设计和安全分析将能够准确可靠地分析现有和新兴 MSR 设计的中子特性。五名高素质人员的培训将得到支持。在更广泛的范围内，该研究将有助于 MSR 的发展，承诺以最小的风险和放射性废物生产无二氧化碳的电力。它还将支持参与 MSR 研究的加拿大核技术公司，将它们置于核技术发展处于世界前沿。