Bowing effects on isotopic concentrations for simplified PWR assemblies and full cores. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, J.; Rochman, D.; Vasiliev, A.; Ferroukhi, H.; Herrero, J.; Pautz, A.; Seidl, M.; Janin, D.
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 110(2017:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1023
• Page End: 1029
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Bowing effects -- Isotope inventory -- Assembly bow -- CASMO-5 -- SERPENT-2 -- Full core simulation -- PWR; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2017.08.022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: Quantification of bowing effects on fuel inventories for both 2D and 3D PWR assembly bow. Simulation of dynamic configurations for progressive assembly bow during irradiation. Simulation of 2D PWR full cores with irregular configurations by CASMO-5 deterministic code. Abstract: Fuel assembly bowing effects on isotopic concentrations during depletion are investigated for a range of full-scale fuel assembly bow models for Simplified Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) assemblies and full cores. First, two-dimensional (2D) 3 × 3 assembly arrays with a central fuel assembly displaced are simulated using both CASMO-5 and SERPENT-2. Investigations are carried out on burn-up evolutions and horizontal re-distributions of nuclide concentrations resulting from assembly bowing effects. Longitudinal distributions of the fuel content changes are also illustrated by simulating a three-dimensional (3D) assembly bowed in C-shape with SERPENT-2. Progressive deformations, varied bowing magnitudes and orientations are considered as influential factors for studying the impact of bowing. Finally, by implementing a measured bowing map from an operating reactor, simulations for 2D PWR full cores are performed with CASMO-5 to reveal the bowing impacts in terms of assembly locations.