Analysis of a homogenous and heterogeneous stylized half core of a CANDU reactor

Abstract

The MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code System) code has been used for modeling and simulation of a half core of CANDU (CANada Deuterium-Uranium) reactor, both homogenous and heterogeneous model for the reactor core are designed. The fuel is burnt in normal operation conditions of CANDU reactors. Natural uranium fuel is used in the model. The multiplication factor for homogeneous and heterogeneous reactor core is calculated and compared during fuel burnup. The concentration of both uranium and plutonium isotopes are analysed in the model. The flux and power distributions through channels are calculated.

Analysis of CANDU Reactor Performance Using Thorium Fuel: Comparison with Natural UO2 Case

“…The present MCNPX model described in the previous section is validated by comparing the results of the model with both homogeneous and heterogeneous cases with the reference and the results are published previously [9]. Fig.…”

“…Each rod consists of a solid stainless steel cylinder (shim) that is centered in a stainless steel tube. The shim and tube are composed of two vertical segments with slightly different diameters [8,9].…”

“…The adjuster rod assembly (shim and tube) is centered within a zirconium guide tube. Heavy water fills the gaps between the steel shim and the inner steel tube and between the inner steel tube and outer guide tube [9]. The horizontal and vertical cross sections of the stylized core model are shown in Figs.…”

“…In this model the bundles geometry contains 37 fuel rods, there is an arrangement in the hexagonal shape, a center rod surrounded by three rings of fuel rods, the inner ring contains 6 rods, the intermediate ring contains 12 rods and the outer ring contains 18 rods. The fuel rods are surrounded by clad from zirconium element and heavy water coolant and pressure tube made of zirconium and it is surrounded by moderator (D 2 O) heavy water [9]. The horizontal and vertical heterogeneous cross sections of the computer model for the reactor core used in the program MCNPX are shown in Figs.…”