Monte Carlo-Based Simulation of Reactivity and Transmutation in the CEFR Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor
Source abstract
Abstract
As a representative Generation IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (Gen-IV SFR), neutron physics characteristics studies of the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) core are crucial for its safety case. In this study, a three-dimensional core model of the CEFR was developed using the Monte Carlo-based MCNP5 code, with its reliability validated through five neutronics benchmark experiments. Based on this model, the fundamental neutronics characteristics of minor actinide (MA) transmutation in the sodium-cooled fast reactor were investigated. The results demonstrate that as the minor actinide (MA) loading fraction in the core increases from 0% to 8%, the effective multiplication factor (Keff) exhibits a significantly nonlinear decrease, accompanied by a corresponding reduction in neutron flux, necessitating increased fuel enrichment to maintain core criticality. Opposite impacts on reactivity are observed for different MA nuclides: 237Np, 241Am, 243Am and mixed MA reduce Keff, whereas 244Cm and particularly 245Cm significantly enhance Keff. The reactivity change rate sharply decreased from −1242.5 to −312.7 pcm/wt%, clearly demonstrating saturation effects in MA neutron absorption. Crucially, reactivity remained deeply negative across all operational scenarios, with safety requirements being satisfied even at maximum MA loading levels, confirming the inherent safety of the proposed approach.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Nuclear reactor physics and engineering · Heat transfer and supercritical fluids · Nuclear Engineering Thermal-Hydraulics
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai 200000, China
References (28)
Show source-provided references
1. Research progress and prospects of advanced power generation technology under the goal of carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality
2. Development status and prospects of China’s energy minerals under the target of carbon peak and carbon neutral
3. Analysis on Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy Coordinated Development in Future
4. China’s power sector milestones during the thirteenth five-year plan period and development trajectories toward the fourteenth five-year plan
5. Comprehensive analysis of world geography of nuclear power industry
6. Three Interrogations for Fast Reactor
7. Koch, L. (1996). Status of Transmutation Use of Fast Reactors for Actinide Transmutation, IAEA.
8. Li, S. (1996). High-Level Radioactive Waste Transmutation and Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems Without Long-Lived Radioactive Waste Byproducts. Chin. J. Nucl. Sci. Eng., 269–283.
9. Design Innovation and Fulfillment of China Experimental Fast Reactor
10. Emerging Trajectories in Nuclear Energy and Advanced Fuel Cycle Technologies
11. Baetsle, L.H., Wakahayashi, T., and Sakurai, S. (1999). Global’99 Proceedings of the International Conference on Future Nuclear System: Status and Assessment Report on Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning and Transmutation, an Oecd Nuclear Energy Agency Review, American Nuclear Society (ANS).
12. Zhou, P. (2001). Transmutation Performance Investigation in Modular Fast Reactors Utilizing MOX Fuel Assemblies. [Ph.D. Thesis, China Institute of Atomic Energy].
13. Challenge of Transmutation of Long-lived Nuclides10.1016/j.pnucene.2005.05.031 ↗
14. Tucek, K. (2004). Neutronic and Burnup Studies of Accelerator-Driven Systems Dedicated to Nuclear Waste Transmutation. [Ph.D. Dissertation, KTH Royal Institute of Technology].
15. Steinberg, M. (1964). Neutron Burning of Long-Lived Fission Products for Waste Disposal.
16. Valorization of Radionuclides in Nuclear Waste
17. Recent Developments in Studies of Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle System
18. Transmutation of long-lived nuclides
19. Gu, M. (2009). Nuclear Waste Processing Technologies, Atomic Energy Press.
20. Feasibility study of the fast breederreactor blanket as a target of plutonium denaturing and TRU transmutation forenhancement of the proliferation resistance and the actinide management in thefuture fuel cycle10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.07.022 ↗
21. Transmutation of americium in a large sizedsodium-cooled fast reactor loaded with nitride fuel10.1016/j.anucene.2012.08.009 ↗
22. Destruction rate analysis of transuranic targets in sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) assemblies using MCNPX and SCALE 6.010.1016/j.pnucene.2009.09.001 ↗
23. Plutonium and Minor Actinidesincineration options using innovative Na-cooled fast reactors: Mpacting onphasing-out and on-going fuel cycles10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.07.034 ↗
24. Main Technical Innovation and Engineering Experience of China Experimental Fast Reactor
25. Study on Heterogeneous Effect Correction Methods of Control Rod Assembly in Fast Reactor
26. Influence of nuclear data library on neutronics benchmark of China experimental fast reactor start-up tests10.1016/j.net.2022.05.020 ↗
27. Sensitivities of delayed neutron fractions in the framework of SCALE 6.210.1016/j.anucene.2020.108068 ↗
28. Wang, Y. (2011). The Preliminary Analysis of Transmutation Characteristics of Long-Life High Level Radioactive Waste in Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor. [Master’s Thesis, North China Electric Power University].