Calculations of spent fuel isotopic composition for fuel rod from VVER-440 fuel assembly benchmark using several evaluated nuclear data libraries

Abstract

This article presents a comparison of results of simulation of VVER-440 reactor fuel burnup by means of ISTAR set of tools using ENDF/B-VII.0 and JEFF-3.1 evaluated nuclear data libraries. Code verification is required on the basis of both experimental data and computational uncertainty analysis. A VVER-440 fuel rod burnup simulation using ENDF/B-VII.0 and JEFF-3.1 evaluated nuclear data libraries was performed as preliminary step before comparison of nuclear data uncertainty analysis and calculation/experiment. Fuel irradiation conditions and SNF nuclide composition experimental data were obtained from radiochemical assays of irradiated VVER-440 fuel report. Fuel burnup simulation was carried out by means of ISTAR set of tools using Monte-Carlo code for spectrum averaged reaction rates evaluation required for solution of Bateman's equations. As a result, Kinf and nuclide composition across burnup were estimated for the sample considered. On the basis of two nuclear data libraries’ implementation for depletion simulation it was shown that Kinf uncertainties rise across burnup from 0.4% at the beginning of life up to 0.7% at the end of life. Heavy nuclides composition uncertainties run up to 9.5% for Am-241 at the end of the 4th life time; however for main uranium and plutonium isotopes the uncertainties do not exceed 1.2%. Most fission products composition uncertainties stay below 7.3% except Sm-150 nuclide (15.1%). The next step will be a comparison with experimental spent nuclear fuel isotopic composition data considering the above mentioned uncertainties.

Advanced fusion technology in a future nuclear energy system

“…The obtained neutron flux density and spectrum-averaged cross sections for neutron reactions were subsequently used to estimate the equilibrium quantities of nuclides established in the fusion neutron source (FNS) blanket under various operating conditions. The equilibrium state of the nuclear power system was calculated in the ISTAR code [17][18][19]. It is important to note that modeling of the equilibrium state of a nuclear power system using the ISTAR code allows estimating the equilibrium quantities of all heavy nuclides that, in principle, can be accumulated in the system.…”