MgO effect on an ADS neutronic parameters
Résumé
Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are specifically studied for their capacity in
transmuting Minor Actinides (MA). Electronuclear scenarios involving MA transmutation in ADS
are widely researched. The dynamic fuel cycle simulation code CLASS (Core Library for
Advanced Scenarios Simulations) is used for predicting the inventory evolution induced by a
complex nuclear fleet. For managing reactors, the code CLASS is based on physic models. A Fuel
Loading Model (FLM) provides the fuel composition at Beginning Of Cycle (BOC) according to
the storages composition and the reactor requirements. A Cross Section Predictor (CSP) estimates
mean cross sections needed for solving evolution equations. Physic models are built from reactors
calculation set ahead of the scenario calculation. An ADS standard composition at BOC is a
mixture of plutonium and MA oxide. The high number of fissile isotopes present in the sub-critical
core leads to an issue for building an ADS FLM. A high number of isotopic vectors at BOC is
needed to get an exhaustive simulation set. Also, ADS initial reactivity is adjusted with an inert
matrix that induces an additional degree of freedom. The building of an ADS FLM for CLASS
requires two steps. For any heavy nuclide composition at beginning of cycle, the core reactivity
must be imposed at a sub-critical level. Also, the reactivity coefficient evolution should be
maintained during the irradiation. For building a FLM, a simulation set has been built. Reactor
simulations are done with the transport code MCNP6 (Monte Carlo N particle transport code).
The ADS geometry is based on the EFIT (European Facility for Industrial-Scale Transmutation)
concept. The simulation set is composed of more than 8000 randomized. A complete neutronic
study is presented that highlight the effect on MgO on neutronic parameters.