Neutronic simulation of a CANDU-6 reactor with heavy water-based nanofluid coolant

Abstract

In recent years, extended studies are developed for investigation the effects of using nanofluids in NPP as coolant. CANDU-6 reactors have the potential to use nanofluid coolants because in these reactors, the moderator system is fully independent of the primary heat transport system. MCNPX code has been used for modelling and simulation of a CANDU-6 reactor containing a nanofluid as primary coolant. The variation of multiplication factor and total neutron flux distribution along a fuel channel, next to the central axis, has been investigated by using different nanofluids. In this analysis, heavy water-based nanofluids containing various volumetric percentages of Al2O3, TiO2, CuO, Ti, Cu, Zr, and Si nanoparticles were used. A typical CANDU-6 reactor was selected as reference for reactor core modelling. The results of the neutronic analysis show that Al2O3 nanofluids with 1% volumetric percentage are the most suitable coolant for CANDU-6 reactors which can increase the coolant heat transfer coefficient and consequently enhance the plant efficiency.