Analysis and Numerical Solution for Multi-Physics Coupling of Neutron Diffusion and Thermomechanics in Spherical Fast Burst Reactors

Abstract

Coupling neutronics to thermomechanics is important for the analysis of fast burst reactors, because the criticality and safety study of fast burst reactors heavily depends on the thermomechanical behavior of fuel materials. For instance, the shut down mechanism or the transition between super and sub-critical states are driven by the fuel material expansion or contraction. The material expansion or contraction is due to temperature gradient which results from fission power. In this paper, we introduce a numerical model for coupling of neutron diffusion and thermomechanics in fast burst reactors. We also provide some analysis of the coupled system. We studied material behaviors corresponding to different levels of power pulses