Coupled neutronics/thermal–hydraulics analysis of CANDU–SCWR fuel channel

At supercritical pressure condition, the thermal–hydraulics behavior of water differs strongly from that at sub-critical pressure due to a rapid variation of the thermal–physical properties across the pseudo-critical line. A coupling analysis of neutronics and thermal–hydraulics has become important for SCWR, because of the strong link between the water density and the neutron spectrum and subsequently the power distribution. The neutronics code Monte Carlo N-Particle code (MCNP) and the subchannel code Advanced Thermal–Hydraulics Analysis Subchannel (ATHAS) are used in a coupled way to better understand the design characteristics of a pressure tube type SCWR fuel channel. The results show that: the developed coupled code system can be used to analyze pressure tube type SCWR fuel bundles; improved radial fuel enrichment profile will optimize the coolant and cladding temperature distribution to meet the design criteria; smaller pressure tube pitch will result in more flatten axial power distribution and more uniform radial power distribution.