Methods and systems for nuclear reactor design using fuel-cladding thermo-mechanics analysis

A system for analyzing an operating envelope of a nuclear reactor comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operably coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• a) receive a plurality of reactor input parameters for a reactor core comprising a first fuel-cladding material, the reactor input parameters comprising geometric parameters, coolant parameters, fuel parameters, and neutronic parameters;
• b) for each of a plurality of depletion steps in a fuel cycle, perform a plurality of thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical calculations for the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material based on the reactor input parameters;
• c) repeat step (b) for each of a plurality of coolant inlet temperatures to obtain a plurality of operating envelope parameters associated with the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material;
• d) modify a fuel pin geometry of the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material;
• e) for each of the plurality of depletion steps in the fuel cycle, perform the plurality of thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical calculations for the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material based on the reactor input parameters and the modified fuel pin geometry;
• f) repeat step (e) for each of the plurality of coolant inlet temperatures to obtain a plurality of operating envelope parameters associated with the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material and having the modified fuel pin geometry;
• g) for each of the plurality of depletion steps in the fuel cycle, perform the plurality of thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical calculations for the reactor core comprising a second fuel-cladding material based on the reactor input parameters, the modified fuel pin geometry, and a change in fuel-cladding material;
• h) repeat step (g) for each of the plurality of coolant inlet temperatures to obtain a plurality of reactor operating envelope parameters associated with the reactor core comprising the second fuel-cladding material and having the modified fuel pin geometry;
• and
• i) determine whether a reactor operating envelope of the reactor core is expanded as a result of the change in fuel-cladding material by comparing the respective operating envelope parameters associated with the reactor core comprising the first fuel-cladding material and the reactor core comprising the second fuel-cladding material and having the modified fuel pin geometry.

A computer implemented method for analyzing an operating envelope of a nuclear reactor comprising:

• obtaining a plurality of operating envelope parameters associated with a first reactor core by performing a plurality of thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical calculations for the first reactor core, wherein the first reactor core comprises a first fuel-cladding material and has a first fuel pin geometry;
• obtaining a plurality of operating envelope parameters associated with a second reactor core by performing a plurality of thermo-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical calculations for the second reactor core, wherein the second reactor core comprises a second fuel-cladding material and has a second fuel pin geometry;
• and
• assessing an expandable operating envelope by comparing the respective operating envelope parameters associated with the first reactor core and the second reactor core, wherein the first and second fuel-cladding materials are different materials.