Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Characterization of fission product transport in a gen. IV gas-cooled fast reactor plant utilizing vented fuel

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  • Fission product transport in a Gen. IV Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor Plant utilizing vented fuel has been characterized using analytical and computational methods. The goal was to increase current understanding of fission product transport in helium-cooled GFRs using vented fuel and to provide a toolset for determining issues which may arise during normal and abnormal operating conditions. A review of the Peach Bottom Unit 1 reactor, the Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor, the Gen IV Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor, and the Energy Multiplier Module—all helium-cooled nuclear systems utilizing vented fuel—provided sufficient background for understanding the design methodology behind vented system and helium purification system design. From documentation for these systems and other literature, the phenomena of fission product generation and decay, volatile fission product chemistry, fission product diffusion and release in fuel, fission product leakage through non-fuel components, fission product plateout, and collection of gaseous fission products through adsorption in the charcoal beds were identified as having a significant effect on the transport of fission products within a vented fuel system. Understanding of vented fuel system design and identified fission product transport phenomena was then used for the development of a vented fuel system model in the systems modeling program, STELLA. The model was used to analyze test cases, characterizing the time-dependent accumulation and decay of fission products in a vented fuel system. These results, used in conjunction with the review of past systems, were used to compile conclusions and recommendations for the design of vented fuel systems and helium purification systems, aiding direction of future research and design efforts. Briefly, the work found that the mass, activity, and power generation of accumulated fission products is likely to be very large, requiring significant consideration within the overall plant design. Additionally, the reduction of the source of vented fission products being purged from the primary vessel, either by fuel or core design, may present significant advantages in plant design. It was also found that safety systems will be necessary to prevent overheat and possible release from the helium purification system in the case of an accident scenario. Lastly, it was found that the determination of the purge stream leakage rate into the primary coolant and the fuel release rate are of crucial importance for the safety and economy of a vented fuel system. This work was funded as part of a Nuclear Energy University Programs Grant from the Department of Energy.
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