Design and evaluation of an innovative LWR fuel combined dual-cooled annular geometry and SiC cladding materials

Yangbin Deng; Minghao Liu; Bowen Qiu; Yuan Yin; Xing Gong; Xi Huang; Bo Pang; Yongchun Li

Nuclear Engineering and Technology (Jan 2021)

Design and evaluation of an innovative LWR fuel combined dual-cooled annular geometry and SiC cladding materials

Yangbin Deng,
Minghao Liu,
Bowen Qiu,
Yuan Yin,
Xing Gong,
Xi Huang,
Bo Pang,
Yongchun Li

Affiliations

Yangbin Deng: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Corresponding author.
Minghao Liu: National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, China
Bowen Qiu: National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, China
Yuan Yin: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Xing Gong: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Xi Huang: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Bo Pang: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
Yongchun Li: Advanced Nuclear Energy Research Team, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 53, no. 1
pp. 178 – 187

Abstract

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Dual-cooled annular fuel allows a significant increase in power density while maintaining or improving safety margins. However, the dual-cooled design brings much higher Zircaloy charge in reactor core, which could cause a great threaten of hydrogen explosion during severe accidents. Hence, an innovative fuel combined dual-cooled annular geometry and SiC cladding was proposed for the first time in this study. Capabilities of fuel design and behavior simulation were developed for this new fuel by the upgrade of FROBA-ANNULAR code. Considering characteristics of both SiC cladding and dual-cooled annular geometry, the basic fuel design was proposed and preliminary proved to be feasible. After that, a design optimization study was conducted, and the optimal values of as-fabricated plenum pressure and gas gap sizes were obtained. Finally, the performance simulation of the new fuel was carried out with the full consideration of realistic operation conditions. Results indicate that in addition to possessing advantages of both dual-cooled annular fuel and accident tolerant cladding at the same time, this innovative fuel could overcome the brittle failure issue of SiC induced by pellet-cladding interaction.

Published in Nuclear Engineering and Technology

ISSN: 1738-5733 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Korea, Republic of
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Nuclear engineering. Atomic power
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/nuclear-engineering-and-technology

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