Work

Finding limiting rods for dry storage analyses

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Numerically modeling fuel rod status during reactor operation is crucial before dry storage analyses. Simulating all irradiated rods in Switzerland using state-of-the-art tools is too time-consuming. This work identifies and simulates limiting BWR rods with a multi-physics calculation chain. Limiting rods are those whose parameters may threaten integrity during dry storage or transport, particularly due to radial hydrides associated with high tensile hoop stress from internal pressure. Initially, 3D core simulators provide irradiation data. These results, along with rod geometrical parameters, undergo principal component analysis to reduce multidimensional datasets to 2D. Depending on the assembly design, these datasets are processed by a clustering algorithm. The limiting rods for each batch or cluster are then identified and simulated using the fuel performance code Falcon and the hydrogen behavior code HYPE.

Source: Annals of Nuclear Energy

DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2024.111043

Authors: Piotr Konarski, Alexey Cherezov, Cedric Cozzo, Grigori Khvostov, Hakim Ferroukhi

Institution: Paul Scherrer Institute

Language: English

Topic: Nuclear Materials and Properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,690