CALCULATIONS OF NEUTRON AND THERMO PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR GENERATION IV REACTOR “VVER-SKD”

A.A. Pryakhin, A.V.Tikhomirov, K.Y.Kurakin, OKB “GIDROPRESS”, Podolsk, Russia

22nd Symposium of AER on VVER Reactor Physics and Reactor Safety (2012, Průhonice, Czech Republic)
NEW REACTOR CONCEPT

Abstract

The calculated assessment of the main neutron and thermo-physical characteristics of
VVER reactor with supercritical coolant pressure using the upgraded version of code package
SAPFIR&95RC has been performed. Calculation model of the VVER-SCP core is developed.
The version under consideration has a single-circuit coolant circulation system, heat up
amounts to more than 2500C, the power unit efficiency is more than 40 %.
Two versions of the reactor core lay-out were considered ? with a single-pass coolant
flow scheme and a two-pass coolant scheme. The design of standard VVER forms the basis of
VVER-SCP reactor core. There are differences ? fuel rod lattice is more tight, diameter of a
fuel rod is increased, jacketed FA is applied, MOX-fuel (mixture of the weapon-grade
plutonium and regenerated plutonium) is used.
The calculated analysis of maximum temperature of fuel, cladding, coolant, maximum
heat flux of a fuel rod and length of fuel cycle is carried out. Various versions of pressure
losses of throttling washers are considered.
VVER-SCP two-pass coolant core is divided into two parts of coolant flow with
approximately equal number of FA, they are a downcomer and a riser section. Such a
structure of the core will enable to decrease considerably a volumetric power peaking factor.
Fuel rod design and fuel matrix in the downcomer and riser section are similar.
The obtained neutron and thermo-physical characteristics of the core for a two-pass
coolant scheme (temperature of fuel, cladding, volumetric power peaking factor, maximum
linear heat flux of a fuel rod) are lower than in a single-pass coolant version. However, in
two-pass coolant scheme, coolant temperature coefficient of reactivity becomes positive in the
course of the fuel cycle unlike a single-pass coolant scheme. At the same time, a two-pass
coolant scheme does not realize the majority of the optimized solutions that have already been
used in a single-pass coolant scheme ? additional calculated analyses are needed to conduct
aimed at optimization of the core design.

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