Fuel cycle transition simulation capabilities in CYCLUS

Bae, Jin Whan

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/102517 Copy

Description

Title

Fuel cycle transition simulation capabilities in CYCLUS

Author(s)

Bae, Jin Whan

Issue Date

2018-12-13

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Huff, Kathryn D.

Committee Member(s)

Stubbins, James

Department of Study

Nuclear, Plasma, & Rad Engr

Discipline

Nuclear, Plasma, Radiolgc Engr

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Molten Salt Reactor, Cyclus, Transition Scenario

Abstract

Recent interest in advanced reactors and the following need for techno-economic transitions has increased the demand for tools necessary to model complex nuclear fuel cycles (NFCs) and advanced reactor technologies. This thesis demonstrates the capability of CYCLUS , the agent-based fuel cycle simulator, to model, simulate, and analyze real-life fuel cycle transition scenarios. I introduce new methods and tools that use various databases to model and simulate real-world nuclear fuel cycle transition scenarios involving advanced reactor technologies. The work in this thesis contains: (1) benchmarking Cyclus to other nuclear fuel cycle simulators (NFC simulators); (2) developing new methods and tools necessary for modeling and simulating real-world fuel cycle transition scenarios; (3) simulation of both domestic and international nuclear technology transitions. The methods and tools developed for such capabilities include: (1) modeling and simulating past and current nuclear fleets using historic nuclear reactor operations database; (2) modeling individual reactors and their operating history to calculate nuclear material inventory; (3) modeling Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) behavior in a large-scale fuel cycle simulation. Benchmark work shows that CYCLUS results coincide with results from other NFC simulators with minor differences due to modeling choices. Additionally, this thesis demonstrates the CYCLUS capability to effectively model and simulate real-life NFC transition scenarios that involve advanced reactor technologies such as MSRs.

Graduation Semester

2018-12

Type of Resource

text

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/102517

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2018 Jin Whan Bae

Owning Collections