• Title/Summary/Keyword: CANDU Reactor

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SARAPAN-A Simulated-Annealing-Based Tool to Generate Random Patterned-Channel-Age in CANDU Fuel Management Analyses

  • Kastanya, Doddy
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.49 no.1
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    • pp.267-276
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    • 2017
  • In any reactor physics analysis, the instantaneous power distribution in the core can be calculated when the actual bundle-wise burnup distribution is known. Considering the fact that CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) utilizes on-power refueling to compensate for the reduction of reactivity due to fuel burnup, in the CANDU fuel management analysis, snapshots of power and burnup distributions can be obtained by simulating and tracking the reactor operation over an extended period using various tools such as the $^*SIMULATE$ module of the Reactor Fueling Simulation Program (RFSP) code. However, for some studies, such as an evaluation of a conceptual design of a next-generation CANDU reactor, the preferred approach to obtain a snapshot of the power distribution in the core is based on the patterned-channel-age model implemented in the $^*INSTANTAN$ module of the RFSP code. The objective of this approach is to obtain a representative snapshot of core conditions quickly. At present, such patterns could be generated by using a program called RANDIS, which is implemented within the $^*INSTANTAN$ module. In this work, we present an alternative approach to derive the patterned-channel-age model where a simulated-annealing-based algorithm is used to find such patterns, which produce reasonable power distributions.

BACKUP AND ULTIMATE HEAT SINKS IN CANDU REACTORS FOR PROLONGED SBO ACCIDENTS

  • Nitheanandan, T.;Brown, M.J.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.45 no.5
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    • pp.589-596
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    • 2013
  • In a pressurized heavy water reactor, following loss of the primary coolant, severe core damage would begin with the depletion of the liquid moderator, exposing the top row of internally-voided fuel channels to steam cooling conditions on the inside and outside. The uncovered fuel channels would heat up, deform and disassemble into core debris. Large inventories of water passively reduce the rate of progression of the accident, prolonging the time for complete loss of engineered heat sinks. The efficacy of available backup and ultimate heat sinks, available in a CANDU 6 reactor, in mitigating the consequences of a prolonged station blackout scenario was analysed using the MAAP4-CANDU code. The analysis indicated that the steam generator secondary side water inventory is the most effective heat sink during the accident. Additional heat sinks such as the primary coolant, moderator, calandria vault water and end shield water are also able to remove decay heat; however, a gradually increasing mismatch between heat generation and heat removal occurs over the course of the postulated event. This mismatch is equivalent to an additional water inventory estimated to be 350,000 kg at the time of calandria vessel failure. In the Enhanced CANDU 6 reactor ~2,040,000 kg of water in the reserve water tank is available for prolonged emergencies requiring heat sinks.

ANALYSES OF FLUID FLOW AND HEAT TRANSFER INSIDE CALANDRIA VESSEL OF CANDU-6 REACTOR USING CFD

  • YU SEON-OH;KIM MANWOONG;KIM HHO-JUNG
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.37 no.6
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    • pp.575-586
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    • 2005
  • In a CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor, fuel channel integrity depends on the coolability of the moderator as an ultimate heat sink under transient conditions such as a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) with coincident loss of emergency core cooling (LOECC), as well as normal operating conditions. This study presents assessments of moderator thermal-hydraulic characteristics in the normal operating conditions and one transient condition for CANDU-6 reactors, using a general purpose three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code. First, an optimized calculation scheme is obtained by many-sided comparisons of the predicted results with the related experimental data, and by evaluating the fluid flow and temperature distributions. Then, using the optimized scheme, analyses of real CANDU-6 in normal operating conditions and the transition condition have been performed. The present model successfully predicted the experimental results and also reasonably assessed the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of a real CANDU-6 with 380 fuel channels. A flow regime map with major parameters representing the flow pattern inside a calandria vessel has also proposed to be used as operational and/or regulatory guidelines.

Core Analysis during Transition from 37-Element Fuel to CANFLEX-NU Fuel in CANDU 6

  • Jeong, Chan-Joon;Suk, Ho-Chun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1998.05a
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    • pp.169-174
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    • 1998
  • An 1200-day time-dependent fuel-management for the transition from 37-element fuel to CANFLEX-NU fuel in a CANDU 6 reactor has been simulated to show the compatibility of the CANFLEX-NU fuel with the reactor operation. The simulation calculation were carried out with the RFSP code, provided by cell averaged hel properties obtained from the POWDERPUFS-V code. The refueling scheme for both fuels was an eight bundle shift art a time. The simulation results show that the maximum channel and bundle powers were maintained below the licence limit of the CANDU 6. This indicates that the CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle is compatible with the CANDU 6 reactor operation during the transition period.

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Fuel Management Simulation for CANFLEX-RU in CANDU 6

  • Jeong, Chang-Joon;Suk, Ho-Chun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1997.10a
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    • pp.147-151
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    • 1997
  • Fuel management simulation have been performed for CANFLEX-0.9% RU fuel in the CANDU 6 reactor. In this study, the bi-directional 4-bundle shift fuelling scheme was assumed The lattice cell and time-average calculation were carried out. The refuelling simulation calculations were performed for 600 full power days. Time-averaged results show good axial power profile with the CANFLEX-RU fuel. During the simulation period, the maximum channel and bundle power were maintained below the licensing limit of CANDU 6 reactor.

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Radiation damage to Ni-based alloys in Wolsong CANDU reactor environments

  • Kwon, Junhyun;Jin, Hyung-Ha;Lee, Gyeong-Geun;Park, Dong-Hwan
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.51 no.3
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    • pp.915-921
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    • 2019
  • Radiation damage due to neutrons has been calculated in Ni-based alloys in Wolsong CANDU reactor environments. Two damage parameters are considered: displacement damage, and transmutation gas production. We used the SPECTER and SRIM computer codes in quantifying radiation damage. In addition, damage caused by Ni two-step reactions was considered. Estimations were made for the annulus spacers in a CANDU reactor that are located axially along a fuel channel and made of Inconel X-750. The calculation results indicate that the transmutation gas production from the Ni two-step reactions is predominant as the effective full power year increases. The displacement damage due to recoil atoms produced from Ni two-step reactions accounts for over 30% out of the total displacement damage.

The CCP Assessment of CANDU-6 Channel Loaded with CANFLEX-NU Fuel Bundle

  • Jun, Ji-Su;Park, Joo-Hwan;Suk, Ho-Chun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1997.05a
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    • pp.374-379
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    • 1997
  • The thermal margin of CANDU-6 reactor is estimated by the CCP, which is dependent on fuel channel hydraulics and the CHF of fuel bundle. This paper intents to describe the characteristics of CCP behavior for the CANDU-6 channel in which CANFLEX-NU fuel bundles are assumed to be loaded. Also, it includes the thermal margin evaluation of the CANDU-6 channel loaded with a mixed CANFLEX-NU and 37-element fuel bundles as a simulation of the partial loading of CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle in the CANDU-6 reactor. For the mixed fuel channels, the effects of axial flux distribution(AFD) on CCP were investigated by using the AFD tilted in the downstream. The CCP of CANFLEX-NU fuel bundle was found to be improved by the CHF enhancement, despite of the slight flow decrease, in case of both full and partial loading, compared with those of a standard 37-element fuel bundle.

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Stress Intensity Factors for Axial Cracks in CANDU Reactor Pressure Tubes (CANDU형 원전 압력관에 존재하는 축방향 균열의 응력확대계수)

  • Lee, Kuk-Hee;Oh, Young-Jin;Park, Heung-Bae;Chung, Han-Sub;Chung, Ha-Joo;Kim, Yun-Jae
    • Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.17-26
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    • 2011
  • CANDU reactor core is composed a few hundreds pressure tubes, which support and locate the nuclear fuels in the reactor. Each pressure tube provides pressure boundary and flow path of primary heat transport system in the core region. In order to guarantee the structural integrity of pressure tube flaws which can be found by in-service inspection, crack growth and fracture initiation assessment have to be performed. Stress intensity factors are important and basic information for structural integrity assessment of planar and laminar flaws (e. g. crack). This paper reviews and confirms the stress intensity factor of axial crack, proposed in CSA N285.8-05, which is an fitness-for-service evaluation code for pressure tubes in CANDU nuclear reactors. The stress intensity factors in CSA N285.8-05 were compared with stress intensity factors calculated by three methods (finite element results, API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 2007 Fitness-For-Service and ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI). The effects of Poisson's ratio and anisotropic elastic modulus on stress intensity factors were also discussed.