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Prediction of Decay Heat from PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Using Fuel Parameters

Solans, Virginie ; Sjöstrand, Henrik ; Grape, Sophie ; Branger, Erik and Sjöland, Anders LU (2024) In Nuclear Science and Engineering
Abstract

In the context of a geological repository for nuclear waste, fast and accurate predictions of decay heat are needed for different applications ranging from canister loading optimization to comparing decay heat predictions from state-of-the-art codes with experimental measurements. This work uses a large database of simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with an extensive range of fuel parameters to demonstrate that by using only the burnup, initial enrichment, and cooling time of the SNF, it is possible to predict the decay heat of a PWR SNF. A linear interpolation model has been developed using the simulated data and tested on data from decay heat measurements using a calorimeter. The model code was also... (More)

In the context of a geological repository for nuclear waste, fast and accurate predictions of decay heat are needed for different applications ranging from canister loading optimization to comparing decay heat predictions from state-of-the-art codes with experimental measurements. This work uses a large database of simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with an extensive range of fuel parameters to demonstrate that by using only the burnup, initial enrichment, and cooling time of the SNF, it is possible to predict the decay heat of a PWR SNF. A linear interpolation model has been developed using the simulated data and tested on data from decay heat measurements using a calorimeter. The model code was also made publicly available [V. Solans, “Python Script for the Prediction of Decay Heat from PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Using Fuel Parameters,” Zenodo (2024)]. The results show that the decay heat can be well predicted, with the relative error between measurements and predictions ranging between 4% and 8%. After correcting for a systematic deviation between predictions and experimental results using the limited set of experimental measurement data available, the relative error can be further reduced to 2% to 3%.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
Decay heat, nuclear waste management, SNF, spent nuclear fuel
in
Nuclear Science and Engineering
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85206576588
ISSN
0029-5639
DOI
10.1080/00295639.2024.2406655
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
39c6d039-291c-4d11-9550-6dff05bc5421
date added to LUP
2025-01-14 15:30:00
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:53:35
@article{39c6d039-291c-4d11-9550-6dff05bc5421,
  abstract     = {{<p>In the context of a geological repository for nuclear waste, fast and accurate predictions of decay heat are needed for different applications ranging from canister loading optimization to comparing decay heat predictions from state-of-the-art codes with experimental measurements. This work uses a large database of simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with an extensive range of fuel parameters to demonstrate that by using only the burnup, initial enrichment, and cooling time of the SNF, it is possible to predict the decay heat of a PWR SNF. A linear interpolation model has been developed using the simulated data and tested on data from decay heat measurements using a calorimeter. The model code was also made publicly available [V. Solans, “Python Script for the Prediction of Decay Heat from PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Using Fuel Parameters,” Zenodo (2024)]. The results show that the decay heat can be well predicted, with the relative error between measurements and predictions ranging between 4% and 8%. After correcting for a systematic deviation between predictions and experimental results using the limited set of experimental measurement data available, the relative error can be further reduced to 2% to 3%.</p>}},
  author       = {{Solans, Virginie and Sjöstrand, Henrik and Grape, Sophie and Branger, Erik and Sjöland, Anders}},
  issn         = {{0029-5639}},
  keywords     = {{Decay heat; nuclear waste management; SNF; spent nuclear fuel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Nuclear Science and Engineering}},
  title        = {{Prediction of Decay Heat from PWR Spent Nuclear Fuel Using Fuel Parameters}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2024.2406655}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00295639.2024.2406655}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}