The MOX Fuel Performance Analysis of ALFRED Core Using MCNPX Transport Code

Abstract

The ( 300 MW th ) pool type Advanced Lead-cooled Fast Reactor European Demon-strator (ALFRED) is an essential step in the evolution of the LFR technology developed to demonstrate the viability of the European Lead Fast Reactor (ELFR) of Generation-IV for use in the future commercial power plant. The ALFRED core consists of two radial zones, inner zone (IZ) and outer zone (OZ), with closed hexagonal Fuel Assemblies (FAs). The fuel is composed of MOX pellets with different fissile pluto-nium enrichment for inner and outer zones. Using MCNPX transport code, 3D model of ALFRED core has been designed to study the MOX fuel performance analysis of the ALFRED core and to simulate its operation during a fuel cycle of a duration of 1825 effective full power days. The obtained results show good agreement with previous studies and confirm the capability of the reactor ALFRED to achieve sustainability.