Knowing the precise relationship between fuel loading and reactivity is essential for guiding reactor criticality extrapolation and online refueling in molten salt reactors(MSRs).This study aims to explore and explain...Knowing the precise relationship between fuel loading and reactivity is essential for guiding reactor criticality extrapolation and online refueling in molten salt reactors(MSRs).This study aims to explore and explain the linear relationship between reactivity and the reciprocal of uranium concentration in thermal-spectrum MSRs.By applying neutron balance theory,we analyzed the neutron absorption cross sections of various nuclides in single-lattice models with varying fuel concentrations.Our findings reveal a simple linear correlation between reactivity and the reciprocal of uranium concentration,which can be explained from the perspective of nuclear reaction cross sections that adhere to the 1/v law in the thermal neutron spectrum.Furthermore,we identified that the neutron absorption single-group cross sections of structural materials and carrier salts exhibit an approximately linear relationship with the fission single-group cross section of ^(235) U;similarly,the reciprocal of ^(235)U’s fission cross section exhibits an approximately linear relationship with uranium concentration.This linear relationship deviates as the volume fraction of molten salt increases,due to a greater proportion of neutrons being captured in the resonance energy spectrum.However,it remains valid for molten salt volume fractions up to 25%and demonstrates broad applicability in the physical design and operation of thermal molten salt reactors.展开更多
Molten salt reactors,being the only reactor type among Generation Ⅳ advanced nuclear reactors that utilize liquid fuels,offer inherent safety,high-temperature,and low-pressure operation,as well as the capability for ...Molten salt reactors,being the only reactor type among Generation Ⅳ advanced nuclear reactors that utilize liquid fuels,offer inherent safety,high-temperature,and low-pressure operation,as well as the capability for online fuel reprocessing.However,the fuel-salt flow results in the decay of delayed neutron precursors(DNPs)outside the core,causing fluctuations in the effective delayed neutron fraction and consequently impacting the reactor reactivity.Particularly in accident scenarios—such as a combined pump shutdown and the inability to rapidly scram the reactor—the sole reliance on negative temperature feedback may cause a significant increase in core temperature,posing a threat to reactor safety.To address these problems,this paper introduces an innovative design for a passive fluid-driven suspended control rod(SCR)to dynamically compensate for reactivity fluctuations caused by DNPs flowing with the fuel.The control rod operates passively by leveraging the combined effects of gravity,buoyancy,and fluid dynamic forces,thereby eliminating the need for an external drive mechanism and enabling direct integration within the active region of the core.Using a 150 MWt thorium-based molten salt reactor as the reference design,we develop a mathematical model to systematically analyze the effects of key parameters—including the geometric dimensions and density of the SCR—on its performance.We examine its motion characteristics under different core flow conditions and assess its feasibility for the dynamic compensation of reactivity changes caused by fuel flow.The results of this study demonstrate that the SCR can effectively counteract reactivity fluctuations induced by fuel flow within molten salt reactors.A sensitivity analysis reveals that the SCR’s average density exerts a profound impact on its start-up flow threshold,channel flow rate,resistance to fuel density fluctuations,and response characteristics.This underscores the critical need to optimize this parameter.Moreover,by judiciously selecting the SCR’s length,number of deployed units,and the placement we can achieve the necessary reactivity control while maintaining a favorable balance between neutron economy and heat transfer performance.Ultimately,this paper provides an innovative solution for the passive reactivity control in molten salt reactors,offering significant potential for practical engineering applications.展开更多
文摘Knowing the precise relationship between fuel loading and reactivity is essential for guiding reactor criticality extrapolation and online refueling in molten salt reactors(MSRs).This study aims to explore and explain the linear relationship between reactivity and the reciprocal of uranium concentration in thermal-spectrum MSRs.By applying neutron balance theory,we analyzed the neutron absorption cross sections of various nuclides in single-lattice models with varying fuel concentrations.Our findings reveal a simple linear correlation between reactivity and the reciprocal of uranium concentration,which can be explained from the perspective of nuclear reaction cross sections that adhere to the 1/v law in the thermal neutron spectrum.Furthermore,we identified that the neutron absorption single-group cross sections of structural materials and carrier salts exhibit an approximately linear relationship with the fission single-group cross section of ^(235) U;similarly,the reciprocal of ^(235)U’s fission cross section exhibits an approximately linear relationship with uranium concentration.This linear relationship deviates as the volume fraction of molten salt increases,due to a greater proportion of neutrons being captured in the resonance energy spectrum.However,it remains valid for molten salt volume fractions up to 25%and demonstrates broad applicability in the physical design and operation of thermal molten salt reactors.
基金supported by Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2020261)Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA02010000)the Young Potential Program of Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.SINAP-YXJH-202412).
文摘Molten salt reactors,being the only reactor type among Generation Ⅳ advanced nuclear reactors that utilize liquid fuels,offer inherent safety,high-temperature,and low-pressure operation,as well as the capability for online fuel reprocessing.However,the fuel-salt flow results in the decay of delayed neutron precursors(DNPs)outside the core,causing fluctuations in the effective delayed neutron fraction and consequently impacting the reactor reactivity.Particularly in accident scenarios—such as a combined pump shutdown and the inability to rapidly scram the reactor—the sole reliance on negative temperature feedback may cause a significant increase in core temperature,posing a threat to reactor safety.To address these problems,this paper introduces an innovative design for a passive fluid-driven suspended control rod(SCR)to dynamically compensate for reactivity fluctuations caused by DNPs flowing with the fuel.The control rod operates passively by leveraging the combined effects of gravity,buoyancy,and fluid dynamic forces,thereby eliminating the need for an external drive mechanism and enabling direct integration within the active region of the core.Using a 150 MWt thorium-based molten salt reactor as the reference design,we develop a mathematical model to systematically analyze the effects of key parameters—including the geometric dimensions and density of the SCR—on its performance.We examine its motion characteristics under different core flow conditions and assess its feasibility for the dynamic compensation of reactivity changes caused by fuel flow.The results of this study demonstrate that the SCR can effectively counteract reactivity fluctuations induced by fuel flow within molten salt reactors.A sensitivity analysis reveals that the SCR’s average density exerts a profound impact on its start-up flow threshold,channel flow rate,resistance to fuel density fluctuations,and response characteristics.This underscores the critical need to optimize this parameter.Moreover,by judiciously selecting the SCR’s length,number of deployed units,and the placement we can achieve the necessary reactivity control while maintaining a favorable balance between neutron economy and heat transfer performance.Ultimately,this paper provides an innovative solution for the passive reactivity control in molten salt reactors,offering significant potential for practical engineering applications.
