Development of Tools for Analysis of Power Excursion Events of TRISO-Fuelled SMRs

该提案是对nserc -加拿大核安全委员会（CNSC）小型模块化反应堆研究资助倡议的回应。它解决了环境和辐射保护：应急计划中列出的研究挑战和知识空白，特别是：“通过事故建模，调查是否存在可信的事故，从任何假设的启动事件或条件，可能导致堆芯损坏与重大场外释放…”该提案要求为开发一个框架提供资金，以分析以三iso粒子为燃料并由固体慢化剂（如石墨）缓和的小型反应堆的事故情况。该框架将用于分析几种意外的反应性插入将导致功率脉冲的事件。该框架和使用该框架执行的分析将支持此类smr的许可工作。该建议的新颖之处在于模拟代码的时间依赖性。它必须将核心的中子流与燃料和慢化剂中的热能流耦合起来。这一提议的目标反应堆类型将是加拿大首批建造的反应堆之一，可能建在大学校园、CNL或加拿大北极地区。拟议的研究有利于此类SMRs的利益相关者，即学生、研究人员、土著社区和加拿大国防。本提案中描述的活动是加拿大第一批小型反应堆发展的重要步骤，特别是在许可方面。这些反应堆的部署将通过清洁发电和供热取代碳密集型发电；此外，它还将为反应堆的建设、运营和维护创造就业机会。

This proposal is a response to the NSERC-Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) Small Modular Reactors Research Grant Initiative. It addresses the research challenges and knowledge gaps listed under Environmental and Radiological Protection: Emergency Planning, in particular: "Through accident modelling, investigate whether there are credible accidents from any postulated initiating events or conditions that could result in core damage with significant offsite releases..."The proposal requests funds for the development of a framework to analyse accident scenarios in SMRs that are fuelled by TRISO particles and moderated by a solid moderator such as graphite. The framework will be used to analyse several events in which unintended reactivity insertion will lead to a power pulse. The framework and the analyses performed with it will support the licencing efforts of this type of SMRs. The novel aspect of the proposal is the time-dependent nature of the simulation code. It must couple the flow of neutrons in the core to the flow of thermal energy in the fuel and the moderator. The type of reactor targeted in this proposal is slated to be among the first to be built in Canada, possibly on a university campus, at CNL, or in the Canadian Arctic. The proposed study benefits the stakeholders of such SMRs, i.e., students, researchers, indigenous communities, and the Canadian National Defence. The activities described in this proposal are an essential step in the development of Canada's first SMRs, in particular with regards to licencing. Deployment of these reactors will replace carbon intensive by clean production of power and heat; furthermore, it will generate employment for construction, operation and maintenance of the reactors.