Serpent simulations of boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear fuel

Scope: We are announcing a project work that can be tailored to fit a bachelor work of 15 credits, or a master work of 30 credits.

Objective: This project is a first step to creating a BWR fuel library that will be used in nuclear safeguards research to study the future verification of nuclear fuel before encapsulation and final storage. However, before creating the fuel library, it is necessary to select the prevailing conditions under which the simulations of the fuel irradiation will be performed. The objective of this project is to study the connection between different irradiation circumstances in the reactor and the resulting radionuclide inventory in the irradiated nuclear fuel.

Methodology: The Monte Carlo code Serpent2 will be used to simulate different models of BWR fuel, and different irradiation conditions. Of particular interest is to simulate different BWR geometries (a single-pin models versus a fuel assembly model, and potentially different fuel rod dimensions), and to study to what degree irradiation conditions such as void profile, void level, presence of control rods and burnable absorbers influence the radionuclide inventory at the end of irradiation and at certain cooling times.

Prerequisites: It is good if you have knowledge of nuclear power operation. Experience of Serpent simulations are beneficial but not necessary, as it analyses using Python/Matlab.

Starting time: As soon as possible.

Contact point: Erik Branger, erik.branger@physics.uu.se and Sophie Grape, Sophie.grape@physics.uu.se