Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Effectiveness of the neutron-shield nanocomposites for a dual-purpose cask of Bushehr's Water-Water Energetic Reactor (VVER) 1000 nuclear-power-plant spent fuels

  • Received : 2016.04.02
  • Accepted : 2017.05.05
  • Published : 2017.10.25
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Abstract

In order to perform dry interim storage and transportation of the spent-fuel assemblies of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, dual-purpose casks can be utilized. The effectiveness of different neutron-shield materials for the dual-purpose cask was analyzed through a set of calculations carried out using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code. The dose rate for the dual-purpose cask utilizing the recently developed materials of $epoxy/clay/B_4C$ and $epoxy/clay/B_4C/carbon$ fiber was less than the allowable radiation level of 2 mSv/h at any point and 0.1 mSv/h at 2 m from the external surface of the cask. By utilization of $epoxy/clay/B_4C$ instead of an ethylene glycol/water mixture, the dose rates on the side surface of the cask due to neutron sources and consequent secondary gamma rays will be reduced by 17.5% and 10%, respectively. The overall dose rate in this case will be reduced by 11%.

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