Neutronic Analysis of the NuScale Fuel Assembly using Accident Tolerant Fuel with SiC-Coated Alumina Cladding
Keywords:
Accident Tolerant Fuel, PWR, NuScale, Cladding, Alumina, Silicon CarbideAbstract
Nuclear fuel design influences a nuclear reactor's performance and safety. Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) is a novel concept in nuclear fuel technology developed to improve the performance and safety of a nuclear power reactor. Different ATF materials can impact the neutronic aspect of a nuclear reactor and thus must be analyzed accordingly. This research is a neutronic analysis of an ATF design using alumina (Al₂O₃) and outer silicon carbide (SiC) coating implemented in NuScale SMR fuel assembly. MCNP6.2 code was utilized to perform the neutronic calculations. Standard M5 cladding in NuScale was compared with Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ + SiC cladding. Analyzed parameters were fuel burnup, kinetic parameters, Doppler temperature coefficient, moderator temperature coefficient, and the evolution of several radionuclides. The results show no significant differences in the neutronic performance of the Al₂O₃ cladding compared to the standard M5 cladding. Therefore, Al₂O₃ cladding has the potential for application in pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel.
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