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

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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References

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Published

2025-04-30

How to Cite

Thermohydraulic Performance in SMR Reactors with Mixed Oxide (U, Th)O2 Fuel: A Computational Approach. Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, v. 12, n. 4B (Suppl.), p. e2674, 2025. DOI: 10.15392/2319-0612.2024.2674. Disponível em: https://www.bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/2674. Acesso em: 1 may. 2025.