Consistent neutron-physical and thermal-physical calculations of fuel rods of VVER type reactors

¹ National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Department of Theoretical and Experimental Physics of Nuclear Reactors, 31, Kashirskoye shosse, 115409, Moscow, Russia.
² Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Department of safe nuclear reactors, 25, Bolshaya Cheremushkinskaya ul., 117218, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: GVTikhomirov@mephi.ru

Published online: 25 September 2017

Abstract

For modeling the isotopic composition of fuel, and maximum temperatures at different moments of time, one can use different algorithms and codes. In connection with the development of new types of fuel assemblies and progress in computer technology, the task makes important to increase accuracy in modeling of the above characteristics of fuel assemblies during the operation. Calculations of neutronphysical characteristics of fuel rods are mainly based on models using averaged temperature, thermal conductivity factors, and heat power density. In this paper, complex approach is presented, based on modern algorithms, methods and codes to solve separate tasks of thermal conductivity, neutron transport, and nuclide transformation kinetics. It allows to perform neutron-physical and thermal-physical calculation of the reactor with detailed temperature distribution, with account of temperature-depending thermal conductivity and other characteristics. It was applied to studies of fuel cell of the VVER-1000 reactor. When developing new algorithms and programs, which should improve the accuracy of modeling the isotopic composition and maximum temperature in the fuel rod, it is necessary to have a set of test tasks for verification. The proposed approach can be used for development of such verification base for testing calculation of fuel rods of VVER type reactors