Application of Np–Am Mixture in Production of 238Pu in a VVER-1000 Reactor and the Reactivity Effect Caused by Loss-of-Coolant Accident in the Central Np–Am Fuel Assembly-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Application of Np–Am Mixture in Production of 238Pu in a VVER-1000 Reactor and the Reactivity Effect Caused by Loss-of-Coolant Accident in the Central Np–Am Fuel Assembly

Published:2023-06-01 Issue:2 Volume:4 Page:412-420
ISSN:2673-4362
Container-title:Journal of Nuclear Engineering
language:en
Short-container-title:JNE

Author:

Shmelev Anatoly N.¹,Geraskin Nikolay I.¹,Apse Vladimir A.¹,Glebov Vasily B.¹,Kulikov Evgeny G.¹,Krasnoborodko Andrey A.¹

Affiliation:

1. Institute of Nuclear Physics and Engineering, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Kashirskoe Shosse 31, Moscow 115409, Russia

Abstract

This paper presents the results obtained from numerical evaluations for the possibility of large-scale 238Pu production in the light-water VVER-1000 reactor and the reactivity effect caused by the loss-of-coolant accident in the central fuel assembly of the reactor core. This fuel assembly containing the Np–Am-component of minor actinides was placed in the center of the reactor core and intended for intense production of 238Pu. Optimal conditions were found for large-scale production of plutonium with an isotope composition suitable for application in radioisotope thermoelectric generators. The reactivity effect from the loss-of-coolant accident in the central Np–Am fuel assembly was evaluated, and the perturbation theory was used to determine the contributions of some neutron processes (leakage, absorption, and moderation) to the total variation of the effective neutron multiplication factor.

Funder

Russian Scientific Fund

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

General Medicine

Link

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4362/4/2/29/pdf

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