Design studies of a typical PWR core using advanced computational tools and techniques

This study deals with the design and development of calculational techniques and evaluation of key neutronic parameters of a typical PWR core having a total reactor power of 2652 MWt (890 MWe). The PWR core consists of 157 fuel assemblies containing a total of ∼72 tons of uranium arranged vertically in a concentric square array within the core shroud. Each fuel assembly contains 264 UO2 fuel pins with various enrichments (2.1, 2.6 and 3.1%), 24 control rods of Gd2O3 and one central water channel and all are arranged in a 17 × 17 array of matrix. Different computer codes including WIMS, TWOTRAN, CITATION and MCNP have been employed to develop a versatile and accurate reactor physics model of the PWR core. The computational methods, tools and techniques, customization of cross section libraries, various models for cells and super cells, and a lot of associated utilities have been standardized and established/validated for the overall core analysis. The analyses were performed in 3 steps: firstly for fuel pincells, then for the fuel assemblies and finally for the whole core. The WIMS and MCNP calculated infinite multiplication factors for fuel pincells having 2.1% enriched 235U were found to be 1.23393 and 1.23654, for 2.6% enrichment 1.28635 and 1.28887, and finally for 3.1% enrichment 1.32481 and 1.32812, respectively. For fuel assembly, WIMS and MCNP calculated infinite multiplication factors having 2.1% enrichment were found to be 1.24853 and 1.25445, for 2.6% enrichment 1.30372 and 1.30992, and for 3.1% enrichment 1.34424 and 1.35041, respectively. The effective multiplication factor calculated by CITATION, TWOTRAN and MCNP for whole core were found to be 1.25580, 1.25909 and 1.26382, respectively. The peak thermal neutron flux in the core calculated by MCNP was found to be 5.0298 × 1014 neutrons/cm2 s and the average core power density was 17.1 kW/cm3. The calculated results from different codes were found to be very good agreement for different moderator conditions. The choice of computer codes like WIMSD, TWOTRAN, CITATION and MCNP which are being used in nuclear industry for many years were selected to identify and develop new capabilities needed to support PWR analysis. The ultimate goal of the validation of the computer codes for PWR applications is to acquire and reinforce the capability of these general purpose computer codes to perform the core design and optimization study.

► This study deals with the evaluation of key neutronic parameters of a PWR core.
► General purpose codes like NJOY, WIMS, TWOTRAN, CITATION and MCNP are employed.
► Analyses are performed for fuel pincell, fuel assemblies and also for whole core.
► New models and methodologies are developed and validated and good agreement is found.
► Application of these codes will promote the design and development studies of PWRs.