Open AccessInvestigation of DPA in the reactor pressure vessel of VVER-1000/V320
Author(s) -
Huu Tiep Nguyen,
Nhu Viet Ha Pham,
Minh-Hoang Nguyen
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
nuclear science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1810-5408
DOI - 10.53747/jnst.v7i4.93
Subject(s) - vver , nuclear engineering , reactor pressure vessel , materials science , embrittlement , neutron flux , pressure vessel , radiation , radiation damage , nuclear reactor core , neutron , nuclear physics , metallurgy , composite material , physics , engineering
The most important ageing effect on the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is radiationembrittlement, which is mainly caused by fast neutrons during operation lifetime of nuclear reactors. The aim of this study was to investigate the DPA (displacement per atom) rate, an important parameter describing radiation damage to the RPV, and identify the position of the maximum DPA rate in the RPV of the VVER-1000/V320 reactor using the Monte Carlo code MCNP5. To reduce statistical errors in the MCNP5 simulation, the weight window technique was applied to non-repeated structures outside the reactor core. The results showed the distribution of the DPA rate in the RPV and the maximum DPA rate was found to be at the first millimeters of the RPV. Consequently, these calculations could be useful for assessment of radiation damage to the RPV of VVER reactors.