Thermohydraulic Performance in SMR Reactors with Mixed Oxide (U, Th)O2 Fuel: A Computational Approach

Pedro Emanuel Moraes Santos; Mariana Cecilia Betancourt; Leorlen Yunier Rojas Mazaira; Carlos Rafael García Hernández; Dany Sanchez Dominguez; Carlos Alberto Brayner de Oliveira Lira

doi:10.15392/2319-0612.2024.2674

Authors

Pedro Emanuel Moraes Santos Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE
Mariana Cecilia Betancourt Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE
Leorlen Yunier Rojas Mazaira Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE
Carlos Rafael García Hernández Instituto Superior de Tecnologías y Ciencias Aplicadas - InSTEC
Dany Sanchez Dominguez Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz - UESC
Carlos Alberto Brayner de Oliveira Lira Centro Regional de Ciências Nucleares do Nordeste - CRCN-NE

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/2319-0612.2024.2674

Keywords:

CFD, SMR, MOX

Abstract

This paper presents a computational study on the thermohydraulic performance of subchannels within Small Modular Reactor (SMR) configurations using Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuels comprising (U, Th)O₂ alongside subchannels containing conventional UO₂. The research aims to evaluate these fuel types operational efficiency and safety within the context of small-scale reactors. Utilizing a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model implemented in OpenFOAM, this study considers the variability of the thermophysical properties of the materials as influenced by temperature changes. The findings reveal that MOX fuels exhibit lower maximum temperatures than UO₂, suggesting a more uniform radial temperature distribution. Moreover, both the cladding and coolant temperatures remain within safe operational limits across all scenarios examined, highlighting the potential of MOX fuels to enhance the safety and efficiency of SMRs. This analysis advances our understanding of the thermal behavior of advanced fuel compositions in nuclear reactors. It underscores the importance of comprehensive thermohydraulic studies in the design and operation of next-generation nuclear power systems.

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