Effectiveness of the neutron-shield nanocomposites for a dual-purpose cask of Bushehr's Water-Water Energetic Reactor (VVER) 1000 nuclear-power-plant spent fuels

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and technology Vol. 49; no. 7; pp. 1563 - 1570
• Main Authors: Rezaeian, Mahdi, Kamali, Jamshid, Ahmadi, Seyed Javad, Kiani, Mohammad Amin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: VVER 1000 spent fuel; Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant; Dual-purpose cask; Neutron shielding
• ISSN: 1738-5733; 2234-358X

In order to perform dry interim storage and transportation of the spent-fuel assemblies of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, dual-purpose casks can be utilized. The effectiveness of different neutron-shield materials for the dual-purpose cask was analyzed through a set of calculations carried out using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code. The dose rate for the dual-purpose cask utilizing the recently developed materials of $epoxy/clay/B_4C$ and $epoxy/clay/B_4C/carbon$ fiber was less than the allowable radiation level of 2 mSv/h at any point and 0.1 mSv/h at 2 m from the external surface of the cask. By utilization of $epoxy/clay/B_4C$ instead of an ethylene glycol/water mixture, the dose rates on the side surface of the cask due to neutron sources and consequent secondary gamma rays will be reduced by 17.5% and 10%, respectively. The overall dose rate in this case will be reduced by 11%.