Numerically stable Monte Carlo-burnup-thermal hydraulic coupling schemes

This paper presents stochastic implicit coupling method intended for use in Monte-Carlo (MC) based reactor analysis systems that include burnup and thermal hydraulic (TH) feedbacks. Both feedbacks are essential for accurate modeling of advanced reactor designs and analyses of associated fuel cycles. In particular, we investigate the effect of different burnup-TH coupling schemes on the numerical stability and accuracy of coupled MC calculations. First, we present the beginning of time step method which is the most commonly used. The accuracy of this method depends on the time step length and it is only conditionally stable. This work demonstrates that even for relatively short time steps, this method can be numerically unstable. Namely, the spatial distribution of neutronic and thermal hydraulic parameters, such as nuclide densities and temperatures, exhibit oscillatory behavior. To address the numerical stability issue, new implicit stochastic methods are proposed. The methods solve the depletion and TH problems simultaneously and use under-relaxation to speed up convergence. These methods are numerically stable and accurate even for relatively large time steps and require less computation time than the existing methods. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The closed thorium-transuranic fuel cycle in reduced-moderation PWRs and BWRs

Multiple recycle of long-lived actinides has the potential to greatly reduce the required storage time for spent nuclear fuel or high level nuclear waste. This is generally thought to require fast reactors as most transuranic (TRU) isotopes have low fission probabilities in thermal reactors. Reduced-moderation LWRs are a potential alternative to fast reactors with reduced time to deployment as they are based on commercially mature LWR technology. Thorium (Th) fuel is neutronically advantageous for TRU multiple recycle in LWRs due to a large improvement in the void coefficient. If Th fuel is used in reduced-moderation LWRs, it appears neutronically feasible to achieve full actinide recycle while burning an external supply of TRU, with related potential improvements in waste management and fuel utilization. In this paper, the fuel cycle of TRU-bearing Th fuel is analysed for reduced-moderation PWRs and BWRs (RMPWRs and RBWRs). RMPWRs have the advantage of relatively rapid implementation and intrinsically low conversion ratios, which is desirable to maximize the TRU burning rate. However, it is challenging to simultaneously satisfy operational and fuel cycle constraints. An RBWR may potentially take longer to implement than an RMPWR due to more extensive changes from current BWR technology. However, the harder neutron spectrum can lead to favourable fuel cycle performance. A two-stage TRU burning cycle, where the first stage is Th-Pu MOX in a conventional PWR feeding a second stage continuous burn in RMPWR or RBWR, is technically reasonable, although it is more suitable for the RBWR implementation. In this case, the fuel cycle performance is relatively insensitive to the discharge burn-up of the first stage. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring and preventing numerical oscillations in 3D simulations with coupled Monte Carlo codes

Previous studies have reported that different schemes for coupling Monte Carlo (MC) neutron transport with burnup and thermal hydraulic feedbacks may potentially be numerically unstable. This issue can be resolved by application of implicit methods, such as the stochastic implicit mid-point (SIMP) methods. In order to assure numerical stability, the new methods do require additional computational effort. The instability issue however, is problem-dependent and does not necessarily occur in all cases. Therefore, blind application of the unconditionally stable coupling schemes, and thus incurring extra computational costs, may not always be necessary. In this paper, we attempt to develop an intelligent diagnostic mechanism, which will monitor numerical stability of the calculations and, if necessary, switch from simple and fast coupling scheme to more computationally expensive but unconditionally stable one. To illustrate this diagnostic mechanism, we performed a coupled burnup and TH analysis of a single BWR fuel assembly. The results indicate that the developed algorithm can be easily implemented in any MC based code for monitoring of numerical instabilities. The proposed monitoring method has negligible impact on the calculation time even for realistic 3D multi-region full core calculations. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

一种低活化铁素体/ 马氏体钢的高能重离子辐照效应研究

Low-activation Ferritic/Martensitic steels are a kind of important structural materials candidate to the application in advanced nuclear energy systems.Possible degradation of properties and even failure in the condition of high-temperature and high helium production due to energetic neutron irradiation in a fusion reactor is a major concern with the application of this kind of materials.In the present work microstructural evolution in a 9Cr Ferritic/Martensitic steel(T92B) irradiated with 122 MeV 20Ne ions...中文摘要：低活化的铁素体/马氏体钢是先进核能装置(如聚变堆)的重要候选结构材料。在聚变堆实际工作环境下,由于高温和高氦产生率引起的材料失效是这类材料面临的一个重要问题。本项研究以兰州重离子加速器(HIRFL)提供的中能惰性气体离子束(20Ne,122 MeV)作为模拟辐照条件,借助透射电子显微镜,研究了一种低活化的9Cr铁素体/马氏体钢(T92B)组织结构的变化和辐照肿胀。实验结果表明,高温下当材料中晶格原子的撞出损伤和惰性气体原子沉积浓度超过一定限值时,材料内部形成高浓度的空洞,并且空洞肿胀率显著依赖于辐照温度和剂量;在马氏体板条界面及其它晶界处空洞趋于优先形成,并且在晶界交汇处呈加速生长。基于氦泡的形核生长与空洞肿胀的经典模型探讨了在不同辐照条件(He离子、Ne离子、Fe/He离子双束、快中子、Ni离子)下铁素体/马氏体钢中肿胀率数据的关联。

Sputtering induced by highly charged Pb-208(q+) bombardment on Al surface

Highly charged ions (HCls) carrying high Coulomb potential energy (E-p) could cause great changes in the physical and chemical properties of material surface when they bombard on the solid surface. In our work, the secondary ion yield dependence on highly charged Pbq+ (q = 4-36) bombardment on Al surface has been investigated. Aluminum films (99.99%) covered with a natural oxide film was chosen as our target and the kinetic energy (E-k) was varied between 80 keV and 400 keV. The yield with different incident angles could be described well by the equation developed by us. The equation consists of two parts due to the kinetic sputtering and potential sputtering. The physical interpretations of the coefficients in the said equation are discussed. Also the results on the kinetic sputtering produced by the nuclear energy loss on target Surface are presented.

Damage accumulation in gallium nitride irradiated with various energetic heavy ions

In this work a study of damage production in gallium nitride via elastic collision process (nuclear energy deposition) and inelastic collision process (electronic energy deposition) using various heavy ions is presented. Ordinary low-energy heavy ions (Fe+ and Mo+ ions of 110 keV), swift heavy ions (Pb-208(27+) ions of 1.1 MeV/u) and slow highly-charged heavy ions (Xen+ ions of 180 keV) were employed in the irradiation. Damage accumulation in the GaN crystal films as a function of ion fluence and temperature was studied with RBS-channeling technique, Raman scattering technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For ordinary low-energy heavy ion irradiation, the temperature dependence of damage production is moderate up to about 413 K resulting in amorphization of the damaged layer. Enhanced dynamic annealing of defects dominates at higher temperatures. Correlation of amorphization with material decomposition and nitrogen bubble formation was found. In the irradiation of swift heavy ions, rapid damage accumulation and efficient erosion of the irradiated layer occur at a rather low value of electronic energy deposition (about 1.3 keV/nm(3)),. which also varies with irradiation temperature. In the irradiation of slow highly-charged heavy ions (SHCI), enhanced amorphization and surface erosion due to potential energy deposition of SHCI was found. It is indicated that damage production in GaN is remarkably more sensitive to electronic energy loss via excitation and ionization than to nuclear energy loss via elastic collisions.

多普勒能移反冲距离法测核能级寿命

本文主要致力于建立一个用多谱勒能移反冲距离法测寿命的主要方法。对所设计加工的多谱勒能移反冲距离法测寿命的实验装置--PLUNGER的结构特点作了详细的说明，描述了用电容法测量和监视PLUNGER的靶与阻止膜间微小距离及其变化的实验，并从中得出零点距即靶与阻止膜间所能达到的最小距离为6-9#mu#m。用激光反射法测定了PLUNGER在运动中靶与阻止膜间的平行度的改变。还叙述了该PLUNGER装置用于~(13)P束轰击~(93)Nb靶的在束实验详细过程及数据处理，给出了~(120)Xe的基带各能级寿命及~(121)Cs、~(117)I的部分能级寿命。最后讨论了探测器的立体角效应、束流照射的热效应等对寿命测量的影响