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Reflector materials selection for core design of modular gas‐cooled fast reactor using OpenMC code
Author(s) -
Raflis Helen,
Muhammad Ilham,
Su'ud Zaki,
Waris Abdul,
Irwanto Dwi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.6042
Subject(s) - modular design , selection (genetic algorithm) , core (optical fiber) , nuclear engineering , code (set theory) , reflector (photography) , reactor design , computer science , materials science , engineering , physics , operating system , telecommunications , optics , programming language , light source , artificial intelligence , set (abstract data type)
Summary This paper discusses the selection of reflector materials for the core design of modular gas‐cooled fast reactor (GFR). Ideally, the reflector materials can be recycled, compatible with helium as the primary coolant, and resistant to high working temperature in the modular GFR. The modular GFR is a reactor design concept that maintains the criticality to achieve a longer operation time. However, maintaining the neutron population in the fast reactor core is still a challenge due to the high neutron leakage. In this research, the main objective is selecting potential reflectors materials for a modular GFR using open‐source Monte Carlo, OpenMC code. The OpenMC code applied the Monte Carlo method that provides high fidelity three‐dimensional (3D) geometry modeling, implementing continuous energy cross‐sections, and enabling to use of the nuclear data of Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF/B‐VII.b5). The various candidate reflector materials, such as pure nickel, pure magnesium, pure lead, PbO, Ba 2 Pb, BeO, SiC, and Zr 3 Si 2 , are calculated from the neutron physics phenomenon to determine a good neutron reflector. The considered parameters of neutron physics included the multiplication factor profile, neutron energy distribution, flux and fission rate distribution, neutron leakage, core lifetime, mass evolution of fissile and fertile material, and thickness of reflector. The most crucial parameter of GFR core design is determined based on the conditions at the beginning of life (BOL) and the end of life (EOL). Finally, we concluded that the BeO material and silicon‐based materials are good reflector candidates for the core design of modular GFR.