Computational substantiation of technological characteristics of the closure stage of nuclear fuel cycle using code VIZART

Abstract

There exist different variants of organizing the closure of nuclear fuel cycle (CNFC) depending on fast reactor type, fuel types, station or centralized allocation of closed nuclear fuel cycle stages. One of the ways to verify and estimate engineering solution is mathematical modeling of radiochemical technology which in the end will allow to optimize composite technological process in order to increase effectiveness and reduce cost. In order to calculate the balance of material flows of process circuits and individual production sections in the stationary and dynamic modes, with taking into account the isotopic composition evolution, a software package VIZART (Virtual Plant of Radiochemical Technologies) was developed, allowing the user to assemble the required sequence of operations for any part of the process scheme and perform the calculation of material balance for all flows of the circuit, as well as to optimize the equipment operating modes and provide the necessary data to justify the safety of certain limits and the entire process circuit. The following capabilities of code VIZART for computational substantiation of CNFC technology design and characteristics are considered: material balance calculation, cyclogram creation, determination of the most loaded parts of processing lines, estimation of fissile materials accumulating in devices and intermediate vessels, optimization of productivity of nodes and devices.