Annals of Nuclear Energy 54 (2013) 129–133

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Annals of Nuclear Energy

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/anucene

Development of practical method using a Monte Carlo code for evaluation of

optimum fuel pitch in a typical VVER-1000 core
Navid Taheranpour a,⇑, Ahmad Talaei b
a
Nuclear Engineering and Physics Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
b
Department of Physics, Utah State University, UT, USA

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In this work, we developed a practical method to evaluate the optimum moderator-to-fuel ratio of a typ-
Received 19 March 2012 ical VVER reactor using a Monte Carlo code. To reach this aim, by analyzing the curves of the infinite mul-
Received in revised form 21 October 2012 tiplication factor (k1) versus moderator-to-fuel ratio, the optimum fuel pitch is determined for different
Accepted 28 October 2012
fuel diameters of the proposed fuel elements using the MCNPX code. Optimum moderator-to-fuel ratio
and fuel pitch were determined from the curves where the value of k1 is maximum for cold conditions
and is located in an under-moderated region for hot conditions. Also, the void reactivity coefficient must
Keywords:
be negative and smooth for the selected fuel pitch. Then, the gained optimum values of the proposed fuel
Multiplication factor
Reactivity
elements are considered to evaluate the effective multiplication factor of the core, which should be
Moderator-to-fuel ratio located in the under-moderated region for all Cold Zero Power (CZP), Hot Zero Power (HZP), and Hot Full
Lattice pitch Power (HFP) conditions. Finally, we compared the calculated optimum values with the values given in
VVER-1000 Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). The results show that the fuel diameter and pitch of
7.57 and 12.75 mm, respectively, provide the best neutronic economy among all tested values.
Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Calculation of the optimum moderator-to-fuel ratio to deter-
mine the fuel pitch is among the important tasks in neutronic de-
sign of a reactor core. The analytical method for calculating this
parameter which uses the thermal utilization factor and resonance
escape probability with consideration of the self shielding and sha-
dow effects is very complex and usually has considerable errors. As
a brief description, to increase excess reactivity and decrease fuel
loading and core size, it is necessary to determine the moderator-
to-fuel ratio and fuel pitch so that the fission neutrons which enter
the moderator from the fuel, be able to avoid the main absorption
resonances (i.e. 6.67, 21, and 37 eV) before colliding with fuel mate-
rial (Stacey, 2001). Therefore, optimum moderator-to-fuel ratio is
determined where the result of multiplying the thermal utilization
factor by resonance escape probability has the highest value
(Ashoub and Saleh, 2000; Hussain and Xinrong, 2009). Fuel diame-
ter from a neutronics point of view also should have the minimum
self-shielding effect leading to neutron economy increment.
In this work, moderator-to-fuel ratio, lattice pitch, and void
reactivity coefficient have been chosen for evaluating the optimum
core design from the neutronics point of view using MCNPX code.
The results of simulations are verified through comparison with
⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +98 21 6454 5200; fax: +98 21 6649 5519.
E-mail address: navid.taheranpour@gmail.com (N. Taheranpour).
the reliable data for the reactor. The overall aim of this work is
to validate this method through the VVER-1000 reactor for use in
assessments of similar reactors. The fuel diameter examined from
a neutronics point of view should also be evaluated with thermal–
hydraulic ability approach to extract the precise values.
With regard to reliable data available for VVER-1000, its core
has been suggested to simulate as a benchmark. The VVER-1000
reactor is a pressurized-light-water-moderated and cooled reactor
with a power of 3000 MW (1000 MWe). Its first core consists of
163 fuel assemblies arranged in the hexagonal lattice with a lattice
pitch of 23.6 cm. Each assembly contains 311 UO2 fuel rods, 18
guiding channels for control rods or burnable poisons and a central
channel, all arranged in a hexagonal lattice with a lattice pitch of
12.75 mm. The fuel rods are annular UO2 pellets with zirconium al-
loy cladding (Boushehr Nuclear Power Plant, 2003).
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Core characteristics of VVER-1000 reactor
Fuel Assemblies (FAs) with average enrichments of 1.6%, 2.4%,
and 3.62% are arranged in hexagonal array in the reactor core.
More detailed information of the fuel rod, fuel assembly, and core
is presented in Table 1.
Since the net neutron current in the boundary of similar FAs in
core is approximately zero, so the outer surface of FA is considered

0306-4549/$ - see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2012.10.029
130 N. Taheranpour, A. Talaei / Annals of Nuclear Energy 54 (2013) 129–133

Table 1
Characteristics of VVER-1000 reactor (Boushehr Nuclear Power Plant, 2003).

Component Characteristics Value

Fuel rod Fuel pellet material UO2
Fuel pellet density (gr/cm3) 10.4–10.7
Hole diameter in fuel pellet (mm) 1.5
Fuel pellet externaldiameter (mm) 7.57
Clad material AlloyZr + 1% Nb
Clad internal diameter (mm) 7.73
Clad external diameter (mm) 9.1
Arrangement of fuel rods Triangle
Fuel rod pitch (mm) 12.75
Fuel assembly Number of fuel rods in the fuel assemble (pcs) 311
Number of guide channels (pcs) 18
Number of spacer grids (pcs) 15
Number of measuring channels (pcs) 1
Center channel (pcs) 1
Core Normal thermal power (MW) 3000
Number of FA (pcs) 163
FA pitch (cm) 23.6
Core active height (cm) 355
Core equivalent diameter (cm) 316

as reflective in the simulations. Therefore, there is no leakage and

multiplication factor only depends on properties of FA materials
and neutronic behavior of FA is the criterion representing the en-
tire core (Duderstadt and Hamilton, 1976). A view of the VVER-
1000 assembly and core simulated by MCNPX code is shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.
Neutronic behaviors analysis is needed to design the reactor
core. Reactor physics consists of some important neutronic param-
eters, i.e. the effective multiplication factor, moderator-to-fuel ra-
tio, multi-group neutron fluxes along the core and its
surrounding reflectors, neutron flux distribution, power peaking
factor, and reactivity coefficients. Therefore, in the first step, some
of the above mentioned parameters are computed to determine the
optimum lattice pitch by lattice cell calculation. Then, in order to Fig. 2. VVER-1000 core simulated by MCNPX (1) core, (2) core barrel with
design an optimal core the gained optimum fuel pitches of the pro- supporting tubes and core baffle and (3) reactor vessel.
posed fuel elements are considered for the core.
2.2. 3D modeling and method of analysis

MCNPX is a Monte Carlo code for particle transport developed

Fig. 1. The proposed assembly of VVER-1000 core.
by Loss Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). It simulates particles
in Stochastic Monte Carlo method capable of defining three-
dimensional complex geometries and various sources which can
be used in the reactor physical design parameters estimation,
shielding, criticality, medical radiation, and other domains related
to the nuclear industry. It includes a large variety of variance
reduction features especially useful for shielding and detector flux
applications. It uses continuous-energy cross sections produced by
NJOY and allows general 3D geometry based on surfaces (Los Ala-
mos National Laboratory, 2002). For better statistics in the present
analysis, the criticality specifications in MCNP model has been pro-
vided for 200 active and 30 inactive cycles and 50,000 source par-
ticles giving a total of 10 million neutron particle source histories.
For designing an optimum under-moderated core, the infinite
multiplication factor (k1) is calculated as a function of modera-
tor-to-fuel ratio in different fuel diameters in the proposed fuel
assemblies. The fuel diameter is increased from 2 to 12 mm while
keeping the thicknesses of cladding fixed. The optimum modera-
tor-to-fuel ratio is determined when the infinite multiplication fac-
tor has the highest value in cold state and is located in the
undermoderated region in hot state (Ashoub and Saleh, 2000;
Hussain and Xinrong, 2009).
To determine the moderator-to-fuel ratio in the VVER-1000
reactor the unit cell is considered as a triangle (Boushehr Nuclear
Power Plant, 2003). The unit cell is shown in Fig. 3.
 N. Taheranpour, A. Talaei / Annals of Nuclear Energy 54 (2013) 129–133 131

The ratio of moderator-to-fuel volume in a unit cell is calculated

using the following equation:
pffiffi
3 2
VM 2
P  pR2c
¼ ð1Þ
VF p ðR2F  R2h Þ

where P is the fuel rods pitch, Rc clad radius, RF fuel rod radius, Rh
fuel hole radius, and VM/VF ratio of moderator-to-fuel volume in a
unit cell.

3. Results and discussion

One of the important parameters of the core is the moderator-

to-fuel ratio because by increasing the quantity of moderator in
core, neutron absorption in the moderator increases and causes a
reduction in the thermal utilization factor. On the other hand, hav-
ing insufficient moderator in the core causes an increase in slowing
down time and results in a greater loss of neutrons by resonance
absorption. In examining the multiplication factor as a function
of moderator-to-fuel ratio due to competition between the thermal
utilization factor and resonance escape probability, there is an
optimum point from which the increase on the moderator-to-fuel
ratio causes a decrease of the multiplication factor due to the dom-
inance of the decreasing thermal utilization factor. Furthermore,
reduction of the moderator-to-fuel ratio from this point causes a
reduction of the multiplication factor due to the dominance of in-
creased resonance absorption in the fuel (Lewis, 2008; U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy, 1993).
Fig. 4 shows our results of infinite multiplication factor versus
moderator-to-fuel ratio for various fuel diameters from 2 to
12 mm. As seen, increment rate of maximum infinite multiplica-
tion factor is higher from the fuel diameter of 2.0 to 7.57 mm,
while for fuel diameters larger than 7.57 mm this rate is reduced
due to increasing self-shielding effects in larger diameters. Eco-
nomically, it is not beneficial to use much fuel while the maximum
multiplication factor is not noticeably increased. Therefore, a fuel
pitch of 12.75 mm and a fuel diameter 7.57 mm used in VVER-
Fig. 3. Unit cell geometry of fuel assembly.
Fig. 4. Infinite multiplication factor as a function of moderator-to-fuel ratio in
various fuel diameters of the proposed fuel assemblies.
1000 reactor are the optimum values from a neutronics point of
view.
For each value of fuel diameter, the optimum moderator-to-fuel
ratio is determined by the highest value of multiplication factor.
The optimum fuel pitch related to the highest value of multiplica-
tion factor for the various diameters is summarized in Table 2.
For example, Table 2 indicates that for fuel diameter enlarge-
ment from 7.57 to 10 mm, the multiplication factor increases with
an average relative discrepancy less than 1% while total mass of
fuel increment is 74% from 491 to 867 kg.
Fuel temperature reactivity coefficient is consistently negative
whereas moderator reactivity coefficients can be negative or posi-
tive based on core design. From the safety viewpoint, increasing
the core temperature should create a negative reactivity to keep
the core in safe and stable state. In the under-moderated region,
the reactor has a negative temperature coefficient of reactivity
mainly due to the Doppler effect and thermal expansion coefficient
of water. The negative temperature coefficient of reactivity ensures
the safety of the core because an increase in moderator tempera-
ture will reduce its density and form void. These will decrease its
moderating ability and cause a corresponding increase in reso-
nance absorption. This effect decreases the neutron multiplication
factor as the power and temperature will be in safe conditions.
While in an over-moderated system, the reactor core is inherently
unstable because the multiplication factor will increase as heat is
added to the moderator. Therefore, under-moderated reactors are
stable against changes in temperature in the reactor core but
over-moderated reactors are less inherently safe than under-mod-
erated cores (Hussain and Xinrong, 2009; U.S. Department of En-
ergy, 1993).
Fig. 5 shows the infinite multiplication factor as a function of
fuel pitch for two cold and hot states of the proposed fuel assembly
with fixed fuel diameter. As it is depicted, the suggested pitch of
12.75 mm is in the range that assures core safety during the trans-
fer from cold to hot state and is located in under-moderated region
when core temperature increases.
Fig. 6 shows the void reactivity coefficients versus void volume
percentage and fuel pitch. It demonstrates that the void reactivity
coefficient of fuel pitch 12.75 mm is negative and smooth while
larger pitches result in positive void reactivity and smaller pitches
are not desirable. Therefore, the fuel pitch of 12.75 mm is desirable
and has a good conformity with the parameter given in the related
FSAR.
132 N. Taheranpour, A. Talaei / Annals of Nuclear Energy 54 (2013) 129–133

Table 2
Optimum fuel pitch related to the highest value of multiplication factor of different fuel diameters.

Df (mm) 2.0 4.0 6.0 7.57 8.0 10 12

VM/VF 2.29 1.93 1.82 1.75 1.72 1.62 1.53
Pitch (mm) 3.863 7.195 10.347 12.750 13.364 16.249 19.034
k1 0.99750 1.15299 1.18574 1.19952 1.20228 1.21133 1.21787

Fig. 5. Infinite multiplication factor as a function of fuel pitch in the cold and hot
states for fixed fuel diameter. Fig. 7. Effective multiplication factor as a function of fuel pitch in CZP and HZP
states for fixed fuel diameter.

Fig. 7 shows the effective multiplication factor as a function of

fuel pitch in CZP and HZP states for a fixed fuel diameter. As seen,
the fuel pitch of 12.75 mm is located in the under-moderated re-
gion in both CZP and HZP conditions. As a summary, we demon-
strated that a fuel pitch of 12.75 mm for the proposed fuel
element is optimum for the core and is located inside the under-
moderated region in all CZP, HZP, and HFP conditions which keeps
the core constantly in a safe mode.
In a nuclear reactor because of the existence of a negative reac-
tivity due to the neutron absorber poisons, temperature effects and
fuel emptying a small excess reactivity is needed in preliminary
design of a core (Glasstone and Sesonske, 1998). Boric acid and
the control rods control the excess reactivity during the reactor
operating so the reactor could be kept critical during the operating
(Boushehr Nuclear Power Plant, 2003).
The total reactivity margin (Dq%) at the Beginning of Cycle
(BOC) operation (temperature of 20 °C) without boron concentra-
tion and xenon is 18.4. Boric acid concentration for cold shutdown
is defined from sub-criticality of not less than 0.02 Dk/k when all
Control and Protection System’s Absorber Rods (CPS AR) are
ejected and there is no xenon. During hot shutdown (temperature
of 280 °C) boric acid concentration shall ensure sub-criticality not
less than 0.01 Dk/k without any available xenon and when the

Fig. 6. Void reactivity coefficient versus void volume percentage in different fuel pitches.
 N. Taheranpour, A. Talaei / Annals of Nuclear Energy 54 (2013) 129–133
Fig. 8. Effective multiplication factor versus fuel pitch in HZP state for various boric acid concentrations.
CPS ARs are completely withdrawn. Boric acid concentration at
BOC in cold state with temperature of 20 °C and zero power with
temperature of 280 °C is 8.2 and 7.33 g/dm3, respectively (Bous-
hehr Nuclear Power Plant, 2003).
Fig. 8 displays the effective multiplication factor versus fuel
pitch at the beginning of the first core in HZP states in various boric
acid concentrations. In fact, by increasing the core boric acid con-
centration in HZP state, the selected fuel pitch shifts the reactor
to over-moderator region. However, for boric acid concentrations
less than 7.33 g/dm3 the fuel pitch of 12.75 mm is still located in
the under-moderated region.
Since the results of calculations using this method have a good
agreement with the reliable data of VVER, this method can be used
to evaluate the lattice pitch in other similar reactors. However, in
order to achieve a complete reactor core characterization, a meth-
od involving the thermo-hydraulic and fuel burn-up effects still
needs to be developed.
4. Conclusion
The main goal of this work was the development of a practical
method for evaluation of the lattice pitch for reactors from a neu-
133
tronics point of view. The method can be used as a benchmark for
modifying models with less precision. Actually, we calculated the
optimum fuel pitch when k1 of the proposed fuel element has
the maximum value in cold state, its void reactivity coefficient is
negative, and core is under-moderated. The actual optimum fuel
pitch plays an important role in the determination of compactness,
excess reactivity, neutron economy and safety of the core.
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