Study on the recently proposed direct S–CO2 and helium-cooled GCFR: Size of vessel, power conversion, and reactivity coefficients. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mohammadi, M.M.; Faghihi, F.; Pirouzmand, A.; Rabiee, A.
• Is Part Of: Progress in nuclear energy. Volume 81(2015:May)
• Page Start: 113
• Page End: 122
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: GCFR -- Supercritical CO2 -- Reactivity coefficients -- Size of vessel -- Power conversion -- Block type fuel assembly; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 333.7924
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.12.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-1970

Abstract

Abstract: This article contains a review on the history, progress, and objectives of the GCFR as well as a review on the newly proposed TID-type and block-type fuels of a GCFR, together with a research on their selected physical parameters. We have roughly estimated and compared size of core vessel of a suggested GCFR for S–CO2 and helium cooled as well as power conversion system efficiencies for a direct super-critical CO2 cooled cores. Moreover, the Coolant Void Reactivity (CVR) and Doppler coefficient for a reference GCFR with two different coolant types (supercritical CO2 and helium) and either different matrix materials (blended: fuel + diluents) in the block type core is calculated. MCNP 5.0 was used for our neutronic simulation and MAKXSF module was used to Doppler broaden the cross sections. Finally, the burn up comparison for two coolants and also for suggested diluents is also performed herein. Highlights: A review on two recently proposed GCFR including their core geometry and physical parameters are reviewed. We have estimated thickness of core vessel as well as size of vessel for both S–CO2 and helium cooled GCFR based on cylindrical shell approximation. A comparison for Power Conversion Systems of S–CO2 and helium cooled cycles is carried out. The reactivity coefficients for a reference GCFR with different diluents for a block type core are obtained. Burn up comparison for S–CO2 cooled and helium cooled GCFR using MCNPX is also performed.