On the use of a dedicated ballast pellet for a prompt self-ejection mechanism after a temperature transient in lead-cooled fast reactors
The potential use of changes in buoyancy as a reactivity feedback mechanism during temperature transients in heavy liquid metal fast reactors (HLMFRs) is discussed. It is shown that with the use of ballast pellets (~15% volume fraction) introduced in combination with fuel pellets, fuel rods will be...
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2017 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/107743 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/107743 https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2017.07.023 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Fluid dynamics Nuclear reactors Heavy liquid metal fast reactors Buoyancy Temperature transient compensation Generation IV reactors Dinàmica de fluids Reactors nuclears Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies::Energia nuclear |
| Sumario: | The potential use of changes in buoyancy as a reactivity feedback mechanism during temperature transients in heavy liquid metal fast reactors (HLMFRs) is discussed. It is shown that with the use of ballast pellets (~15% volume fraction) introduced in combination with fuel pellets, fuel rods will be endowed with a reliable self-ejection mechanism that is able to compensate temperature transients. Utilizing a simplified model, an estimate of the negative reactivity insertion expected from this mechanism is derived. The use of ballast pellets opens up the possibility of introducing greater amounts of actinides into the core, as well as providing a solution to the classical problem of positive coolant temperature reactivity coefficients in fast reactors. |
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