Neutronic analysis of PROMETHEUS reactor fueled with various compounds of thorium and uranium


Yapici H., Ubeyli M., Yalcin S.

ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, cilt.29, sa.16, ss.1871-1889, 2002 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 29 Sayı: 16
  • Basım Tarihi: 2002
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/s0306-4549(02)00016-6
  • Dergi Adı: ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1871-1889
  • Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

In this study, neutronic performance of the DT driven blanket in the PROMETHEUS-H (heavy ion) fueled with different fuels, namely, ThO2, ThC, UO2, UC, U3Si2, and UN is investigated. Helium is used as coolant, and SiC is used as cladding material to prevent fission products from contaminating coolant and direct contact fuel with coolant in the blanket. Calculations of neutronic data per DT fusion neutron are performed by using SCALE 4.3 Code. M (energy multiplication factor) changes from 1.480 to 2.097 depending on the fuel types in the blanket under resonance-effect. M reaches the highest value in the blanket fueled with UN. Therefore, the investigated reactor can produce substantial electricity in situ. UN has the highest value of Pu-239 breeding capability among the uranium fuels whereas UO2 has the lowest one. Pu-239 production ratio changes from 0.119 to 0.169 according to the uranium fuel types, and U-233 production values are 0.125 and 0.140 in the blanket fueled with ThO2 and ThC under resonance-effect, respectively. Heat production per MW (13,T) fusion neutron load varies from 1.30 to 7.89 W/cm(3) in the first row of fissile fuel breeding zone depending on the fuel types. Heat production attains the maximum value in the blanket fueled with UN. Values of TBR (tritium breeding ratio) being one of the most important parameters in a fusion reactor are greater than 1.05 for all type of fuels so that tritium self-sufficiency is maintained for DT fusion driver. Values of peak-to-average fission power density ratio, Gamma, are in the range of 1.390 and similar to 1.476 depending on the fuel types in the blanket. Values of neutron leakage out of the blanket for all fuels are quite low due to SiC reflector. The maximum neutron leakage is only similar to0.025. Consequently, for all cases, the investigated reactor has high neutronic performance and can produce substantial electricity in situ, fissile fuel and tritium required for (13,T) fusion reaction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.