Calculation of Neutron and Electron Transport in Self-Powered Neutron Detector for PWR Fuel Assembly

Abstract

The research focused on a comprehensive study of calculating neutron and electron transport to evaluate Beta escape in a self-powered neutron detector (SPND) for a pressurized water reactor fuel assembly. The SPND is an important component used in nuclear power plants to monitor neutron flux in the core and indirect power distribution in the reactor core. Accurate neutron and electron transport calculations, considering the Beta escape phenomenon, are crucial for the proper functioning and performance assessment of the SPND.This work presents a computational model based on the Monte Carlo method to simulate the transport of neutrons, and electrons, and determination the Beta escape process within the SPND. The model incorporates the PWR fuel assembly's geometry and material properties from the perspective of neutron transport and electron transport. The primary goal of this research is to improve the fundamental knowledge in determining beta escape, i.e., the probability of an electron reaching the collector in presented model SPND. It is an essential property that specifies the sensitivity of each of the detectors of this type. Moreover, it is basically crucial for in-core monitoring.