A new tool for the simulation of different nuclear fleets at equilibrium

Heddy Barale,Kévin Tirel,Guillaume Martin,Camille Laguerre,Paul Sabatini,Fanny Courtin

doi:10.1051/epjn/2021025

Abstract

Scenario simulations are the main tool for studying the impact of a nuclear reactor fleet on the related fuel cycle facilities. This equilibrium preliminary study aims to present the functionalities of a new tool and to show the wide variety of reactors/cycles/strategies that can be studied in steady state conditions and validated with more details thanks to dynamic code. Different types of scenario simulation tools have been developed at CEA over the years, this study focuses on dynamic and equilibrium codes. Dynamic fuel cycle simulation code models the ingoing and outgoing material flow in all the facilities of a nuclear reactor fleet and their evolutions through the different nuclear processes over a given period of time. Equilibrium fuel cycle simulation code models advanced nuclear fuel cycles in equilibrium conditions, i.e. in conditions which stabilize selected nuclear inventories such as spent nuclear fuel constituents, plutonium or some minor actinides. The principle of this work is to analyze different nuclear reactors (PWR, AMR) and several fuel types (UOX, MOX, ERU, MIX) to simulate advanced nuclear fleet with partial and fully plutonium and uranium multi-recycling strategies at equilibrium. At this first stage, selected results are compared with COSI6 simulations in order to evaluate the precision of this new tool, showing a significant general agreement.

Highlights

Scenario studies can be used to explore future options of the nuclear energy development, investigating the advantages and disadvantages, technological constraints, costs and overall attractiveness of different fuel cycles and reactor fleet developments
In order to assess the performances of these nuclear fuel cycles, the equilibrium simulation tool SEPAR (Equilibrium Simulator of Advanced Reactor Parks) has been recently developed at the Department of Reactor Studies (DER) at CEA Cadarache
This paper focuses on the application of SEPAR to different fuel options four different strategies: the Uranium OXide (UOX) - Mixed OXide (MOX) mono-recycling of Pu, the UOX - Enriched Reprocessed Uranium (ERU) mono-recycling of U, the UOX - MIX full multi-recycling of Pu and the UOX - MOX - AMR partial multi-recycling

Summary

Introduction

Scenario studies can be used to explore future options of the nuclear energy development, investigating the advantages and disadvantages, technological constraints, costs and overall attractiveness of different fuel cycles and reactor fleet developments. To further improve nuclear fuel use and nuclear waste management, advanced nuclear fuel cycles involving innovative reprocessing plants and reactors are being evaluated. It is essential to address spent fuel management properly because this issue directly involves the sustainable development of nuclear energy, the nuclear non-proliferation, the nuclear energy costs, the natural resource utilization etc. In order to assess the performances of these nuclear fuel cycles, the equilibrium simulation tool SEPAR (Equilibrium Simulator of Advanced Reactor Parks) has been recently developed at the Department of Reactor Studies (DER) at CEA Cadarache.

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Results

Conclusion