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Research Article
Yonghee Kim
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Corresponding Author
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A novel re-optimization of fuel assembly (FA) and new innovative burnable absorber (BA) concepts are investigated in this paper to pursue a high-performance soluble-boron-free (SBF) small modular reactor (SMR), named autonomous transportable on-demand reactor module (ATOM). A truly optimized PWR (TOP) lattice concept has been introduced to maximize the neutron economy while enhancing the inherent safety of an SBF pressurized water reactor. For an SBF SMR design, the 3-D centrally-shielded BA (CSBA) design is utilized and another innovative 3-D BA called disk-type BA (DiBA) is proposed in this study. Both CSBA and DiBA designs are investigated in terms of material, spatial self-shielding effects, and thermo-mechanical properties. A low-leakage two-batch fuel management is optimized for both conventional and TOP-based SBF ATOM cores. A combination of CSBA and DiBA is introduced to achieve a very small reactivity swing (<1,000 pcm) as well as a long cycle length and high fuel burnup. For the SBF ATOM core, safety parameters are evaluated and the moderator temperature coefficient is shown to remain sufficiently and similarly negative throughout the whole cycle. It is demonstrated that the small excess reactivity can be well managed by mechanical shim rods with a marginal increase in the local power peaking, and a cold-zero shutdown is possible with a pseudo checker-board control rod pattern. In addition, a thermal-hydraulic-coupled neutronic analysis of the ATOM core is discussed.
Keywords
ATOM, Centrally-Shielded Burnable Absorber (CSBA), Soluble-Boron-Free (SBF), Disk-type Burnable Absorber (DiBA), TOP (Truly Optimized PWR) lattice, Small Modular Reactor (SMR)
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No competing interests reported.
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
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Posted 01 Mar, 2021
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Editorial decision: Major revision
On 23 Apr, 2021
Reviews received
Received 20 Apr, 2021
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Received 06 Apr, 2021
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On 01 Apr, 2021
Reviewers agreed
On 01 Apr, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Apr, 2021
Editor assigned
On 01 Apr, 2021
Editor invited
On 23 Feb, 2021
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On 23 Feb, 2021
First submitted
On 21 Feb, 2021
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Subject Areas
Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
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This preprint is under consideration at Scientific Reports. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research Article
Yonghee Kim
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 01 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 23 Apr, 2021
Reviews received
Received 20 Apr, 2021
Reviews received
Received 06 Apr, 2021
Reviewers agreed
On 01 Apr, 2021
Reviewers agreed
On 01 Apr, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 01 Apr, 2021
Editor assigned
On 01 Apr, 2021
Editor invited
On 23 Feb, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 23 Feb, 2021
First submitted
On 21 Feb, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
A novel re-optimization of fuel assembly (FA) and new innovative burnable absorber (BA) concepts are investigated in this paper to pursue a high-performance soluble-boron-free (SBF) small modular reactor (SMR), named autonomous transportable on-demand reactor module (ATOM). A truly optimized PWR (TOP) lattice concept has been introduced to maximize the neutron economy while enhancing the inherent safety of an SBF pressurized water reactor. For an SBF SMR design, the 3-D centrally-shielded BA (CSBA) design is utilized and another innovative 3-D BA called disk-type BA (DiBA) is proposed in this study. Both CSBA and DiBA designs are investigated in terms of material, spatial self-shielding effects, and thermo-mechanical properties. A low-leakage two-batch fuel management is optimized for both conventional and TOP-based SBF ATOM cores. A combination of CSBA and DiBA is introduced to achieve a very small reactivity swing (<1,000 pcm) as well as a long cycle length and high fuel burnup. For the SBF ATOM core, safety parameters are evaluated and the moderator temperature coefficient is shown to remain sufficiently and similarly negative throughout the whole cycle. It is demonstrated that the small excess reactivity can be well managed by mechanical shim rods with a marginal increase in the local power peaking, and a cold-zero shutdown is possible with a pseudo checker-board control rod pattern. In addition, a thermal-hydraulic-coupled neutronic analysis of the ATOM core is discussed.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
No competing interests reported.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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