Squirrel; a MOOSE based App for Solving Quasi-Static Point Kinetics in Molten Salt Reactors

P. Pfahl*, A. Chambon, J. Groth-Jensen, B. Lauritzen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This paper presents a novel, quasi-static point kinetics solver, Squirrel, developed in the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework, designed for transient calculations with liquid fuel.Squirrel is a modified point kinetics solver with the ability to evaluate the change in reactivity due to fuel flow by weighting the importance of the position of the delayed neutrons with the shape function of the neutron flux of the r eactor.The shape function can be approximated from an existing numerical steady-state solution or an analytical expression.Squirrel provides a simple approximation of the temperature feedback by weighting the impact of a local change in temperature with the shape function to estimate the global effect on r eactivity.In combination with the MOOSE internal Navier-Stokes Module, Squirrel is tested on the lid-driven cavity benchmark.We show that the solver can accurately calculate the change in reactivity induced by the movement of delayed neutron precursors and the dynamic power change due to the temperature feedback.We validate Squirrel with a simple model of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment.The results agree with the existing literature, showing that the chosen approach can capture the reactor kinetics in a molten salt reactor under the assumption of a time-independent shape function.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the International Conference on Physics of Reactors 2024
PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
Publication date2024
Pages1090-1099
ISBN (Electronic)9780894487972
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventInternational Conference on Physics of Reactors: Beyond the Blueprint: Pioneering Reactor Physics for Real-World Implementation - Hilton San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Duration: 21 Apr 202424 Apr 2024

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Physics of Reactors
LocationHilton San Francisco
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco
Period21/04/202424/04/2024

Keywords

  • MOOSE
  • MSR
  • Point-kinetics
  • Squirrel
  • Transient

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