Simulation of spallation and transmutation minor actinides

in fast subcritical reactor

JOINT INSTITUTE FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH

DUBNA 29.07.2011

apprentice: Przemysław Stanisław Staniszsupervisor: Aleksander Polański (LIT)

Models and Codes Used for Simulations

MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle code) is developed by Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) to

simulate the transport of neutrons, gamma rays and electrons by the Monte Carlo method. It simulates a coupled transport, i.e., it also accounts for transport of secondary particle resulting the interaction of primary particles.

MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended) extends the capacilties of MCNP to other particles (e.g.

charged particles, heavy ions, pions etc.) CINDER90 code and library to developed for the description of

nuclide inventories produced in a wide range of radiation environments

The Spallation Proces

Fast Direct Process:- Intra-Nuclear Cascade (nucleon-nucleon collisions)

Compound Nuclei:- Evaporation (mostly neutrons)

- High-Energy Fissions

Spallation Neutron Yield

Spallation Neutron Yield (mean multiplicity of emitted neutrons)

The number of emitted neutrons varies as a function of the target nuclei and the energy of the incident particle

L. Pienkowski, F. Goldenbaum, D. Hilscher, U. JahnkeNeutron multiplicity distributions for 1.94 to 5 GeV/c proton-, antiproton-, pion-, kaon-,and deuteron-induced spallation reactions on thin and thick targets

Spallation Neutron Spectrum

The spectrum of spallation neutrons evaporated from an excited heavy nucleus bombarded by high energy particles is similar to the fission neutron spectrum but shifts a little to higher energy

Spallation Product Distribution

The spallation product distribution varies as a function of the target material and incident proton energy. It has a very characteristic shape:

ADS geometry modelCharacteristics Destription

MeV 1000 protons, beam power 1,16MW

Thermal fission power 100MW

Diameter of the core. 520 [mm]

Height of a fuel active part 630 [mm]

Radius of lead reflector 520 [mm]

Number of the fuel elements in assembles

18

Number of fuel assembles 133

Maximal gain factor Keff=0,97

Heat-carrier helium

Radius of concrete shielding 190 [cm]

Max neutron flux 6.64E15 [cm2/s]

FAST Reactor geometry modelCharacteristics Destription

Thermal fission power 100MW

Diameter of the core. 520 [mm]

Height of a fuel active part

780 [mm]

Radius of lead reflector 520 mm

Number of the fuel elements in assembles

18

Number of fuel assembles

153

Maximal gain factor Keff=1,1

Heat-carrier helium

Radius of concrete shielding

190 cm

Max neutron flux 6.64E15 [cm2/s]

Reactivity change in burnup cycle

ADS and Fast Reactor Neutron Spectra

Mass evolution of Plutonium

0.00E+005.00E+011.00E+021.50E+022.00E+022.50E+021.10E+02

1.20E+02

1.30E+02

1.40E+02

1.50E+02

1.60E+02

1.70E+02

1.80E+02

1.90E+02

Transmutation of Pu239

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+00 5.00E+01 1.00E+02 1.50E+02 2.00E+02 2.50E+027.60E+01

7.70E+01

7.80E+01

7.90E+01

8.00E+01

8.10E+01

8.20E+01

8.30E+01

8.40E+01Transmutation of Pu240

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+005.00E+01

1.00E+021.50E+02

2.00E+022.50E+02

2.50E+01

3.00E+01

3.50E+01

4.00E+01

4.50E+01

5.00E+01

Transmutation of Pu241

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+00 5.00E+01 1.00E+02 1.50E+02 2.00E+02 2.50E+022.64E+01

2.66E+01

2.68E+01

2.70E+01

2.72E+01

2.74E+01

2.76E+01

2.78E+01

Transmutation of Pu242

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

Mass evolution of Minor Actinide (MA)

0.00E+00 1.00E+02 2.00E+021.40E+01

1.50E+01

1.60E+01

1.70E+01

1.80E+01

1.90E+01

2.00E+01

2.10E+01

Transmutation of Np237

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+00 1.00E+02 2.00E+028.50E+00

9.00E+00

9.50E+00

1.00E+01

1.05E+01

1.10E+01

1.15E+01

Transmutation of Am 241

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+00 1.00E+02 2.00E+027.00E+00

7.20E+00

7.40E+00

7.60E+00

7.80E+00

8.00E+00

8.20E+00

8.40E+00

Transmutation of Am243

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]0.00E+00 1.00E+02 2.00E+02

2.70E+002.90E+00

3.10E+00

3.30E+00

3.50E+00

3.70E+00

3.90E+00

4.10E+004.30E+00

4.50E+00

Transmutation of Cm244

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

0.00E+00 1.00E+02 2.00E+022.50E-01

3.00E-01

3.50E-01

4.00E-01

4.50E-01

5.00E-01

Transmutation of Cm245

Burnup [GWd/MTU]

Mas

s [g

]

Thank you

for attention