Abstract
This paper presents a computational framework for modeling decay heat and delayed neutron precursor transport in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) using the System Thermal Hydraulics (SyTH) code. We derive one-dimensional transport equations for both delayed neutron and decay heat precursors, accounting for advection effects unique to liquid-fueled reactors.The mathematical framework incor-porates precursor drift, decay constants, and source terms from fission, implemented within SyTH’s finite-volume scheme. Using a simplified MSR model based on the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment geometry, we analyze the steady-state behavior of velocity, pressure, and temperature distributions with and without precursor generation. Results show minimal differences in thermal-hydraulic parameters between models with and without precursor tracking. However, the analysis reveals significant precursor accumulation throughout the primary loop, suggesting potential impacts on system behavior during transient operations. This work establishes a foundation for future coupling with existing reactor physics code to enable comprehensive MSR simulation capabilities.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2025 |
| Publisher | American Nuclear Society |
| Pages | 167-175 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780894482229 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2025 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | 2025 International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2025 - Denver, United States Duration: Apr 27 2025 → Apr 30 2025 |
Publication series
| Name | Proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2025 |
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Conference
| Conference | 2025 International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering, M and C 2025 |
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| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Denver |
| Period | 04/27/25 → 04/30/25 |
Funding
This research was funded through a grant from the State of Texas for the Digital Molten Salt Reactor Initiative. The authors acknowledge the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin for providing computational resources that have contributed to the research results reported within this paper. The software used for this research was made available via RSICC (VERA) and by the University of Texas at Austin, which was originally developed through a sponsored research agreement with Natura Resources (SyTH).
Keywords
- Decay heat
- Delayed neutrons
- Molten salt reactors
- MPACT
- SyTH