Evaluation of the spatial self-shielding impact for TRISO-based nuclear fuel depletion

Martin, Nicolas; Youinou, Gilles

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112749

Title: Evaluation of the spatial self-shielding impact for TRISO-based nuclear fuel depletion

Journal Article · 14 November 2023 · Nuclear Engineering and Design

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112749 · OSTI ID:2221801

^[1]; Youinou, Gilles ^[1]

Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Reactor physics analyses of nuclear cores with nuclear fuel concepts containing tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles, such as pebbles or compact fuel elements, rely on various degrees of simplification to keep these highly heterogeneous problems computationally tractable. One such limitation regards the level of spatial discretization employed during burnup calculations, where traditionally only a limited number of spatial zones are modeled at the full core level and assume that the spectrum is constant within the fuel elements and TRISO particles in this depletion zone. This type of assumption neglects the impact of spatial self-shielding effect within the kernels (microscale level) as well as within the compact or pebbles (mesoscale level). Furthermore, the Monte Carlo code Serpent 2 contains many relevant features for efficiently modeling this type of geometry, including a collision-based domain decomposition intended for very large burnup calculations, which we leveraged for this work to quantify the impact of capturing neutron flux variations occurring at the micro- and mesoscale level on a series of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel element depletion problems. While spatial self-shielding is observed at both scales, with differences from a volume-averaged burnup of ±7% within the kernels and ±2% between TRISO particles within the fuel element, the conjugated effect on nuclide inventories and multiplication factor are negligible, hence confirming that assuming a single average spectrum value may be sufficient for most applications.

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Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 2221801

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2368892

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-23-74189-Rev000; TRN: US2407084

Journal Information:: Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 416; ISSN 0029-5493

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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