Monte Carlo Modeling of Bireactor Electronuclear System

Abstract

The properties of an accelerator driven subcritical bireactor electronuclear system composed of the main thermal neutron reactor constructed analogous to the core of the VVER-1000 and a booster–reactor, which is constructed similar to the core of the fast reactor BN-350, are investigated. It is shown by Monte Carlo simulation that such a system is a safe energy source (k_eff=0.94÷0.97) and is capable of transmutting radioactive waste (neutron flux density in the thermal core is 10¹⁴ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹, in the fast core −5.31·10¹⁵ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹ if the beam current of the proton accelerator is I=5.3 mA at K_eff=0.98) at the contemporary technically available level of accelerator engineering. The heat production and beam current are calculated for the system with various levels of subcriticality. The suggested configuration of the “cascade” bireactor system essentially reduces the requirements on the accelerator current and the proton beam energy.