Development of a MCNP5 and ORIGEN2 based burnup code for molten salt reactor

Abstract

The Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is one of the six advanced reactor nuclear energy systems for further research and development selected by Generation IV International Forum (GIF), which is distinguished by its core in which the fuel is dissolved in molten fluoride salt. Because fuel flow in the primary loop, the depletion of MSR is different from that of solid-fuel reactors. In this paper, an MCNP5 and ORIGEN2 Coupled Burnup (MOCBurn) code for MSR is developed under the MATLAB platform. Some new methods and novel arrangements are used to make it suitable for fuel flow in the MSR. To consider the fuel convection and diffusion in the primary loop of MSR, fuel mixing calculation is carried out after each burnup time step. Modeling function for geometry with repeat structures is implicated for reactor analysis with complex structures. Calculation for a high-burnup reactor pin cell benchmark is performed using the MOCBurn code. Results of depletion study show that the MOCBurn code is suitable for the traditional solid-fuel reactors. A preliminary study of the fuel mixture effect in MSR is also carried out.

Potential of transuranics transmutation in a thorium‐based chloride salt fast reactor

“…The MOCBurn code, which was built using universal monte carlo particle transport procedure MCNP5 34 and single group point burnup procedure origen2, 35 was used to simulate a full‐core mode of TCLFR. In which, online refueling and online reprocessing are executed.…”

Neutronic and burn‐up calculations of the ( ThO2‐UO2 ) pin cell benchmark using DRAGON5 and MCNP6 .2 codes with ENDF / B‐VIII .0 nuclear data library

“…Current nuclear reactors are fueled primarily by uranium and its different compounds, including uranium oxide in the case of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) 3,4 . Many studies are being performed with mixed oxide (MOX) fuels, which include utilization of reactor grade and weapon grade plutonium along with uranium fuels 5,6,7 . There is always a constant fear of the proliferation of these nuclear materials and there is a focus on fuel that can be proliferation resistant.…”