Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Criticality analysis of pyrochemical reprocessing apparatuses for mixed uranium-plutonium nitride spent nuclear fuel using the MCU-FR and MCNP program codes

  • P.A. Kizub (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • A.I. Blokhin (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • P.A. Blokhin (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • E.F. Mitenkova (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • N.A. Mosunova (Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • V.A. Kovrov (Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • A.V. Shishkin (Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • Yu.P. Zaikov (Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences) ;
  • O.R. Rakhmanova (Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences)
  • Received : 2022.03.03
  • Accepted : 2022.11.26
  • Published : 2023.03.25
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Abstract

A preliminary criticality analysis for novel pyrochemical apparatuses for the reprocessing of mixed uranium-plutonium nitride spent nuclear fuel from the BREST-OD-300 reactor was performed. High-temperature processing apparatuses, "metallization" electrolyzer, refinery remelting apparatus, refining electrolyzer, and "soft" chlorination apparatus are considered in this work. Computational models of apparatuses for two neutron radiation transport codes (MCU-FR and MCNP) were developed and calculations for criticality were completed using the Monte Carlo method. The criticality analysis was performed for different loads of fissile material into the apparatuses including overloading conditions. Various emergency situations were considered, in particular, those associated with water ingress into the chamber of the refinery remelting apparatus. It was revealed that for all the considered computational models nuclear safety rules are satisfied.

Keywords

References

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