Coupled neutronics and species transport simulation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

Journal Article · 21 December 2023 · Nuclear Engineering and Design

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112824 · OSTI ID:2317789

Lee, Kyoung O. ^[1]; Jessee, Matthew A. ^[1]; Graham, Aaron M.  ^[1]; Kropaczek, David J.  ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

This paper presents the development of coupling between the molten salt reactor species transport code Mole and the reactor physics code Griffin. Here, in this study, tracking of delayed neutron precursors was investigated in the Molten-Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), accounting for changes in fuel flow velocity as a function of position in the primary loop. The neutron transport calculations in Griffin were performed using 11 energy groups, and the species advection calculations in Mole used 6 delayed neutron precursor groups to predict spatial distribution of the neutron flux and neutron precursors in the MSRE. Mole–Griffin was used to calculate $$k$$_eff and $$β$$_eff in the reactor as a function of different volumetric flow rates.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 2317789
• Journal Information: Nuclear Engineering and Design, Vol. 417; ISSN 0029-5493
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English