Monte Carlo Modeling of Isotopic Changes of Actinides in Nuclear Fuel of APR1400 Pressurized Water Reactor

Mikołaj Oettingen () and Juyoul Kim
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Mikołaj Oettingen: Department of Nuclear Energy and Radiochemistry, Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Juyoul Kim: Department of NPP Engineering, KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, 658-91 Haemaji-ro, Seosaeng-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 45014, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-24

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present the isotopic changes in nuclear fuel during the first reactor cycle of the Korean Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400). The neutron transport and burnup calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo continuous energy burnup code—MCB. The three-dimensional numerical model consisting of the reactor pressure vessel with core internals was developed using available geometrical and material data as well as the reactor’s operating conditions. The reactor core was divided into 11 axial and 22 radial burnup zones in order to recreate the spatial distribution of the fuel burnup. The isotopic changes due to the nuclear transmutations and decays were calculated in each burnup zone until the desired average burnup of 17.571 GWd/tHM int was reached. The calculations include changes in the boric acid concentration at defined time steps and the burnout of the gadolinia burnable absorber embedded in the nuclear fuel. This study shows the spatial distribution of minor and major actinides at the end of the reactor cycle as well as the depletion of uranium, the build-up of plutonium, and the formation of neptunium, americium, and curium during the reactor’s operation.

Keywords: burnup; APR1400; Monte Carlo; PWR; concentration; uranium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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